Lt. Col. Frank Murema, Commander of 16 Service Brigade, has today challenged students of St. Mary’s College Kisubi (SMACK) to embrace patriotism, discipline, productivity and personal responsibility as they prepare to take on leadership roles and contribute to Uganda’s development.
Lt. Col. Murema made the remarks while addressing the students during a lecture on national power, where he highlighted the responsibilities of citizens in strengthening the country.
He identified five key elements underpinning national power: diplomacy, information and intelligence, the military, the economy and the population.
He explained that strong diplomatic relations promote international cooperation, while reliable information and intelligence enable effective decision-making. He added that a professional and disciplined military is essential for safeguarding national security.
According to Lt. Col. Murema, a resilient economy provides the foundation for sustainable development, while an educated, disciplined and productive population remains one of the country’s greatest assets.
Drawing lessons from Uganda’s development journey and comparing it with China’s experience, Lt. Col. Murema stressed the importance of education and skills development in preparing young people to participate meaningfully in the economy.
He particularly highlighted the role of the Competence-Based Curriculum in equipping learners with practical skills, innovation, critical thinking and responsible citizenship.
Lt. Col. Murema urged the students to cultivate conscious discipline, personal responsibility and a strong work ethic, noting that government programmesand support can only achieve their intended objectives when citizens complement them through individual effort and commitment.
On patriotism, he encouraged the students to love, protect and contribute to their country regardless of the circumstances.
He further emphasized unity, brotherhood and integration as important foundations for national development, while highlighting Uganda’s contribution to Pan-Africanism and its longstanding hospitality towards refugees.
The commander encouraged the students to look beyond Uganda and view East Africa and Africa as a shared market, urging them to embrace production, entrepreneurship and innovation as pathways to individual and national prosperity.
“The future is in production,” Lt. Col. Murema told the students, urging them to become productive, loyal and responsible citizens.
He also challenged the learners to use their knowledge responsibly, reject hatred and destructive influences, and maintain strong moral values as they prepare for adulthood and leadership.
The engagement concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session, during which the students actively participated and expressed appreciation for the lessons on patriotism, discipline, productivity and national responsibility.
