Mao — Rwakakamba clash over mandatory military service.

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In 2014, under the rubric of Agency For Transformation, I sat with Godber Tumushabe, Angelo Izama, Giles Muhame,  Bills Agaba and Melina Platas to discuss the then-in works Patriotism Bill. The issue of ‘mandatory national service’ through enlistment into the military was debated.

I do recall the consensus was that the policy is good as long as it is voluntary — and not mandatory. You perhaps don’t want to confuse conscription with national service. You perhaps don’t want to lose young, skilled people to exile through mandatory military enlistment. You want to create great incentives for such a policy/program so that volunteers overwhelm it. I still agree with the 2014 position.

In e.g. Scandinavia’s social democracies/ “quasi-socialist,” countries, mandatory military conscription is transforming into a voluntary, pride-fueled system. Mandatory enlisting has shifted toward selective, incentive-driven models that inspire participation. And yes, national service is beyond military enlistment and should be delivered through robust incentive structures—offering skills, career opportunities, fitness, and national pride/honour and so on — to generate a surge of volunteers. Therefore, National service must be more than just military enlistment, and it should prioritise these motivators over mandatory drafts to foster genuine commitment and societal benefit. Mandatory enlistment is conscription and outdated.

Ndugu Norbert Mao — it’s great to revive this issue. Let the public arena deal with it. May the superior argument prevail.

Written by

Rwakakamba Morrison

Based in Uganda. Working to empower citizen agency to pursue large scale change in Uganda, Africa and the World.

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