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POLITICAL EDUCATION
CADRESHIP
Who is a Cadre? /Cadre ship
1. According to the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, the term Cadre means a
small group of people who are specifically chosen and trained for a particular purpose.
These could be Christian, Muslim, Military Cadres or Cadres of any organization or
Political Party. However, the most common definition refers to a Cadres as:
a. Someone/individual who has fully understood and internalized the ideology
(ideas, beliefs, principles and values) of his or her organization or political
party and is capable of disseminating and advancing it both in words and
actions.
b. A person serving an organization, with the qualities and competences
necessary to achieve the organization’s objectives.
c. Is an individual who has achieved sufficient conscious development,
especially political development, to be able to interpret the extensive directives
emanating from objective and subjective conditions that the majority of our people
find themselves in, make them his/her problems, and transfer these as orientation
for social transformation towards a democratic society.
d. Is an individual of moral and administrative discipline, and who knows how
to evaluate the existing contradictions and so utilize fully the democratic
facts, who knows how to practice the principles of collective discussion and to
make decisions on his/her own and take responsibility.
e. A person whose loyalty is tested, and whose physical and moral courage
has developed along with his social development in such a way that he/she is
always willing to confront any conflict and to give his/her life for a common good.
f. A change agent that is completely convinced about his/her organization’s
cause and very ready and committed to propagate the cause within society and is
ready to give everything including his/her life to achieve the cause.
g. He/she is an individual capable of self-analysis which enables him/her to
make the necessary decisions and to exercise creative initiative in such a manner
that is wont conflict with discipline. Giuseppe Mazzini, a renowned Italian
Nationalist and revolutionary once stated that, “…every revolution is a

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positive and organic principle. The first necessary thing is to accept that
principle. Its development must then be confined to men who are believers in it…’’
The men referred to by Mazzini as BELIEVERS are the Cadres of that very revolution
and the positive and organic principle is its ideas, beliefs, values and principles.
 This therefore brings us to the cognition of the fact that every revolution,
organization or political party has a corps of its Cadre ship to help propagate and
actualize the very ideas, believes and principles for which it was founded.
 For the case of Uganda, particularly since the advent of the NRA/NRM liberation
struggle, a critical mass of its cadre ship (Mazzini’s believers) both in the
military and in political/Administration has since been identified, developed and
placed in various fields of our society in order to help achieve its historical
mission.
 In this context, a cadre is a public/military officer who has at least three basic
competences: Professional/technical competences, attitudinal competences, and
behavioral competences.
2. What are the levels of Cadre ship?
The levels include:
a. Junior level (militants) for the Army.
b. The middle level (middle management or middle officer command).
c. The senior/strategic command.
d. The technical cadres e.g. Engineers, Doctors, Intellectuals (Lawyers and
Professors) and Tradesmen for the Military, Instructors, and Political Commissars.
COMMISSARSHIP/POLITICAL COMMISSARS
3. Who is a Political Commissar?
 It is said that the strength of the chain is its weaker link. Therefore, a strong
Commissariat is not tenable and sustainable without strong Political Commissars
(PC’S). Because, they play a key role in the enhancement and entrenchment of
Political consciousness (Political Education) in the UPDF.
Now, the questions are:
Who is a PC?
How are PC’S selected, trained and deployed?
What is their level of ideological clarity?
What is their level of experience?

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 A Political Commissar (PC) is a military Cadre, politically conscious,

knowledgeable, possessing self-conviction and is able to articulate the message
and walk the Talk. “In some of the developed Armies, the commissar…was the
driving force especially during the war, ruling with cunning…brave, intelligent
and unscrupulous…they also took care of the troops. The example set by
commissars is largely responsible for the tenacious resistance of those soldiers,
even in hopeless situations.” (Axis History Fact Book). Therefore, peace time
leadership necessitates the empowerment of PC’s to ensure force cohesion.

 Before (during FRONASA Days) and during the NRA Liberation Struggle
Commissars were carefully selected by HEX the C-I-C beginning with FRONASA
times. These were identified, trained, groomed and later deployed to execute their
tasks.
 The most contemporary selection of cadres was done during engagements with
youth/students in Colleges and Universities and later trained at Political Education
Schools like the one in Mugusu-FortPortal, Kigo, and later Kyankwanzi and
SOPE’s in formation HQs.
4. What are the qualifications of PC’s?
They include:
a. Self – conviction.
b. Knowledgeable.
c. Disciplined.
d. Self-motivated.
e. Brave.
f. Intelligent.
g. Tenacious etc.
h. Well trained (both military, academic) and in terms of ideological
training).
i. Loyal
5. What are the qualities of PC’s?
They include:
 Discipline.
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 Self-motivated.
 Courageous.
 Brave.
 Intelligent.
 Tenacious.
 Unscrupulous.
 Knowledgeable.
 Integrity
 Loyal
 Trust worthy
 Exemplary.
6. What is the role of PC’s?
Their role as staff officers is to help the commander have troops who have:
a. Political consciousness (Political Education).
b. Self-consciousness (Consciousness).
c. Institutional consciousness.
d. Morale necessary to maintain force cohesion.
e. Ensure general troops’ welfare.
f. Ensure that formations and units have functioning Committees and
Baraza’s etc.
g. Promote the building of the spirit of Patriotism and Pan-Africanism.
7. What are the Dos and Don’ts of PC’s?
Dos:
 Must always be present in the unit.
 Must listen to all.
 Must be impartial.
 Must be respectful.
 Build teams.
 Must be friendly to all but not a special friend to any.
 Must be exemplary etc.
Don’ts
 Must never be disrespectful.
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 Must never be partial.

 Must never be drunkards.
 Must never be absent from the unit without formal authorization.
 Must never be sectarian etc.

PC DEPLOYMENT
The only deploying authority for PC’s is the Chief Political Commissar (CPC) with the
authority of the JCOS.
8. What is the role of Commanders in PE?
The Formation/Unit Commander is first and foremost the Principle Unit Political
Commissar. He is himself a Senior Commissar. For this reason, Unit/Formation
Commanders are responsible for ensuring that Political Education themes are given to
Officers and Militants in his formation/Unit. Infact, while emphasizing this notion of
Command-led Political Education/ consciousness in the Unit/Formation, Peter Drucker
noted that, “Effective leaders delegate a good many things; they have to or they drown
in trivia. But they do not delegate the one thing that they can do with excellence, the
one thing that will make a difference, the one thing that will set standards, the one
thing they want to be remembered for. They do it” (Drucker.P.F. 1995).
 Therefore, the one thing that can make a difference in UPDF is Political Education
and Commanders needn’t delegate that. The PC shall only amplify and coordinate
its dissemination.
 Political Education constitutes a major element of the fighting power of UPDF.
The Uganda Defence Doctrine (UDD 2015) similarly specifies ‘SIASA’ (Political
Education) as the first element of the conceptual component and Moral
Component.
 What is politics? Politics is the science of management of society.
 What is political Education? Political Education is the study of the science of
management of society or of identifying and solving problems in society.
9. What values should PE impart?
Values include:
 Self-conviction especially about the cause.
 Building Teams/Team work.
 Patriotism/Nationalism/Pan-Africanism.
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 Conscious discipline.
 Sense of Duty and Hard work.
 Loyalty.
 Courage.
 Self-sacrifice and service before self.
 Integrity and Humility.
 Frugality etc.
10. What is the Mandate of the UPDF Political Commissariat?
Ist to raise a corps of officers and militants who are politically conscious, have
conscious discipline, promote and enhance the morale and welfare of troops and
ensure and promote the maintenance of the historical strategic relationship between
the Wanainchi (the people) and the UPDF, promote the building of patriotism, Pan-
Africanism,personal,institutional and national consciousness and promotion and
observance of Human Rights.
11. How best can PE be improved in UPDF?
 Systematic reorganization of the political Commissariat.
 Conduct of regular Political Education and ideological training at all levels.
 Careful identification, training and placement of Political Commissars.
 Re-packaging of PE messages and themes to suit the exiting conditions/situations
in the country/world.
 Rejuvenate SOPE’S at Division HQs.
 Conduct regular TOT’s in order to create a pool of effective and efficient PE
instructors.
 Conduct regular PC retreats together with intel officers and unit/formation
commanders to create synergies.
 Conduct M and E of political work in units/formations.
 Promote and encourage the conduct of regular Baraza’s and other statutory
meetings in units/formations.
 Encourage and promote the use of committees in units/formations.
 Benchmarking study Tours to instill patriotism.
 Improve facilitation of PC’s at all levels.
 Establish a military museum and other historical sites and monuments to instill
patriotism and Nationalism.
 Enhance and develop all welfare schemes in UPDF to increase troops morale and
motivation.
 Addressing issues of retirement and pensions.

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 Finally, the political Commissariat shall endavour to improve on its visibility and
effectiveness by exploiting all possible synergies at both the strategic, operational
and tactical levels.
12. What is a Baraza?
 A baraza(s) is/ are forms of meetings, other than the ones established by the UPDF
Act 2005 Art 4 (a), where Commanders meet their subordinates to brief them on
current trends and administrative policies and thereafter listen to their concerns
with intent to finding solutions to those very concerns. Historically, baraza’s
within UPDF as they are known today, have a rich heritage from the NRA.
 These are meetings that organizationally provide for democratic handling of issues
that routinely affect officers and militants of NRA/UPDF.
13. How are theyconducted?
 In Formations and Units, baraza’s are held as and when necessary but at least
weekly. While adhering to the Principle of Democratic centralism, commanders
use baraza’s to gather troops and get views and concerns of their subordinates in a
free discussion. They are also for offering explanations and guidance to members
on the state of affairs without raising false hopes, this helps in maintenance of
morale and common focus.
 Baraza’s are used for timely dissemination of information and eliminate rumour-
mongering, speculation, gossiping and subterranean grumbling and double-talk.
 They provide for openness and transparency, open constructive criticism and self-
criticism, exposure of subversive tendencies, all of which are important in
maintaining force morale and cohesion.
 They assist in correcting common mistakes that occur in units.
 Baraza’s, increase the morale and motivation of soldiers since they are sure of
putting forward their concerns and are promptly addressed.
 They are for addressing operational and administrative challenges especially for
troops in operational theatre.
14. How can Baraza’s be improved?
 Commanders need to conduct them in an atmosphere of free environment devoid
of fear to encourage free and open discussion of issues at hand.
 Ensure that they are regularly conducted.
 For them to be seen to be helpful and effective, commanders must ensure that the
concerns raised whether administrative or operational are promptly addressed.

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