KAMPALA – The Japan Nippon Foundation Tokyo has pledged to fund the Construction of the UPDF Rehabilitation Centre in Mubende district.
The foundation is to donate $400,000 in a bid to help the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs with equipping the Psychosocial and Rehabilitation Centre for Military Veterans in Uganda.
The donation was disclosed by Mr Makoto Wada the Director of Nippon Foundation Japan, who said that the project will cater to all Military Veterans with mental health and physical disabilities including those who retired. “This will go a long way in promoting sustainable management of disability and psychosocial health of Military veterans and enhance their reintegration and resettlement into the civilian community”, Makoto said.
The announcement follows the first visit in May 2019 by Professor Isao Lijima a Senior Special Advisor to the Japanese Prime Minister who pledged support through Nippon Foundation for the Psychosocial and Rehabilitation Centre for Military Veterans in Uganda.
The Minister of State for Defence in charge of Veteran Affairs Hon Lt. Col (Rtd) Dr. Bright Rwamirama on behalf of the Uganda Government thanked the Japanese Government for their tireless efforts in supporting the sustenance of the Psychosocial and Rehabilitation activities of the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs.
The Japanese government had also donated 100 sewing machines to the ministry.
Hon Rwamirama in his speech highlighted that this donation will not only help the Military component but also the civilians as it has been the ministry’s norm from the 1980s to always serve and share with civilians.
The Chief Mubende Rehabilitation Centre (CMRC) Maj Gen Sam Kiwanuka noted that the Centre is unique and deals mainly with Physical and Psycho-social rehabilitation of disabled officers and combatants of the UPDF and has a history of transiting from a casualty unit to a Brigade.
The delegation led by the Minister also visited Kakiri Barracks which has been identified as a possible place to construct the Rehabilitation Center.
The 1st Division Commander Maj Gen Sam Kawaga welcomed the idea of shifting the centre and pledged to avail all the support needed.
The project is expected to be implemented by the Directorate of Veteran Affairs on behalf of MODVA and will start after the signing of an MoU between MODVA and Nippon Foundation by end of December 2019.
The minister and the Japanese delegation were accompanied by the UPDF Joint Chief of Staff Lt Gen Joseph Musanyufu, the Defence under Secretary in charge of Logistics Mr Francis Kahirita and Asst. Commissioner Rehabilitation Psychosocial and Resettlement Mr Arthur Kamya among others.
