The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) in the UPDF General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, on Monday hosted a delegation of East African Speakers of Parliament at the Special Forces Command headquarters in Entebbe, marking an unprecedented engagement between the region’s top legislators and Uganda’s military leadership.
The Speakers are in Uganda for the ongoing East African Community (EAC) Parliamentary Games, and their courtesy visit signaled a renewed push to strengthen cooperation across the region’s legislative and security sectors.
The delegation included Speaker Anita Annet Among (Uganda), Joseph Ntakirutimana (EALA), Moses Wetang’ula (Kenya National Assembly), Alberta Mukabaramba (Rwanda Senate), Clotilde Kampimbare (Burundi Senate), and Tarimba Abbas (Tanzania), who also chairs the Parliamentary Sports Club.
General Muhoozi thanked the Speakers for what he described as a historic and symbolic visit, noting that the meeting demonstrated a shared commitment to regional stability and unity.
He applauded their collective efforts in promoting integration through parliamentary diplomacy and cultural exchange.
The Speakers, for their part, underscored the importance of the EAC Parliamentary Games as a unique platform for strengthening people-to-people ties. They agreed that sport offers a powerful avenue for building trust, friendship, and a deeper sense of community among East African citizens and their leaders.
They also expressed gratitude to President Yoweri Museveni for his longstanding dedication to regional integration and to the Government of Uganda for stepping in to host the Games on short notice.
The 2025 edition of the Games officially kicked off on 6th December in Kampala.
On Monday, Uganda played against Kenya at the MTN Omondi Stadium, where hosts Uganda secured a 2–1 victory over Kenya in the opening football match.
Uganda’s goals came from Twaha Kagabo and John Lematia, while Kenya’s Letipila Eli Dominic scored a late consolation.
The meeting between the CDF and the regional Speakers marks the first time such a collective forum has interfaced with the UPDF leadership—an engagement both sides say will strengthen cooperation and understanding across the East African Community.
