Uganda’s President and Commander in Chief of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) H.E Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has today presided over the commissioning into flight of the first overhauled Russian helicopter (MI 24) on the African continent South of the Sahara.
The ceremony happened at Proheli International Services Limited MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) Plant headquarters in Nakasongola district.
Speaking to distinguished guests from the Russian embassy in Uganda, visiting delegations from Russia, Proheli staff and UPDF fraternity, President Museveni congratulated Proheli for developing and bringing the facility to Uganda.
He said: “where there’s demand, there’s opportunity for business and demand for Russian defence products in Africa has existed since 1955.”
President Museveni noted that Russia has partnered with Uganda for the last 100 years and has never harmed us, hence the need to re-establish and strengthen existing contacts with Russia through such MRO facilities.
“I saw the potential of convergence of interests. We have no problem with Russia and vice-versa,” said President Museveni.
He condemned rivalry since we have enough problems to solve as a human race.
He then called for continuous cooperation and promotion of interests based on building capabilities for the continuity of the human race.
President Museveni further stressed that the maintenance, overhauling and upgrading of Russian helicopters in Uganda is a correct idea since it enhances the generation of local capacity, lowers labor costs, promotes defence cooperation and facilitates economic growth as income is generated from other countries who attempt to overhaul from Uganda.
He also appealed to Proheli to include the overhaul of the Sukhoi aircraft to their facility, adding that the latter will benefit from the broad African market using both MI 23 and Sukhoi aircraft since it is nearer than transporting the spoilt aircraft to Russia.
The President concluded by urging Russia to woe more investors to Uganda in other fields other than defence.
“I call upon Russia to get us more investors and there should be no limit to our cooperation. I thank the Russian Government for supporting us and building the M1 24 facility,” he said.
In his remarks, the Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs Hon Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja commended the President for building a modern and productive army. “Overhauling helicopters in Uganda is a great achievement and saves the country a lot of money,” he noted, adding that the dream of growing the defence industry has come to fruition with the evidenced helicopter overhaul.
Speaking at the same commissioning, the Chief of Defence Forces Gen Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, noted that the overhaul is a landmark achievement in Uganda’s aviation industry since it is the first helicopter to be overhauled South of the Sahara.