MPIGI (UGNEWSLINE) – As Uganda prepares for the 2026 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations, Military Police personnel assigned to guard the examination process have been reminded that their mission goes beyond securing examination papers, they are protecting the integrity of the country’s education system.
The warning was delivered by Military Police Commandant Maj Gen William Beinomugisha as 537 officers and soldiers completed a three-week Examination Security Course at Buyala-Nsujjumpolwe Barracks in Mpigi District.
The personnel are preparing to support the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) in securing the UCE examinations, which are scheduled to begin across the country on October 12, 2026.
Addressing the troops during their send-off, Maj Gen Beinomugisha urged them to keep the core values of accountability, confidentiality, teamwork, innovation and professionalism at the centre of their work.
He said the sensitive nature of examination security demanded personnel who could be trusted to follow procedures, protect confidential information and respond responsibly to challenges encountered during the examination period.
Beinomugisha recalled that UNEB faced serious challenges from examination malpractice before the deployment of Military Police personnel in 2017.
The continued involvement of people lacking integrity, he said, contributed to practices that threatened the credibility of Uganda’s examination system.
It was against this background that the UPDF leadership entrusted Military Police with the responsibility of supporting examination security, a decision he said was intended to restore confidence and protect the integrity of national examinations.
He warned that examination cheating does more than compromise grades.
It can produce students who appear successful on paper but lack the knowledge and skills their results suggest, ultimately weakening the country’s development.
“Being polite and respectful in identifying key stakeholders in the task will help you keep in the right lane and ensure a good flow of examination protocols throughout the season,” Beinomugisha told the troops.
He further reminded them that their selection was not accidental.
Their dependability, integrity, previous conduct, commitment, discipline, rank and leadership qualities were among the factors considered before they were entrusted with the assignment.
The commandant urged the officers and soldiers to protect the reputation of the UPDF while carrying out their duties and to demonstrate that Military Police personnel can be relied upon when the country entrusts them with sensitive national responsibilities.
“As Military Police, we have to keep the image of the UPDF, to support the wise decision of the leadership from the President and Commander-in-Chief of the UPDF, and Military Police as a formation by doing good and changing the narrative to fit in the required performance,” he said.
He made it clear that the assignment was not a welfare exercise and that anyone who deliberately violated the established guidelines would face disciplinary action under the UPDF Act, 2005.
The first group of personnel is now preparing to move into the field, with 513 station commanders and 24 route commanders among those tasked with ensuring that examination materials reach their designated destinations securely and without interference.
For the troops, the message from their command was unmistakable: the success of the examination season will not only be measured by the safe movement of papers, but also by their ability to preserve the trust placed in them and protect the credibility of every result that emerges from Uganda’s classrooms.
