Civil - military coordination framework for disaster management in Uganda

Abstract

Civil-military working relations have often been cagey not only in Uganda but all over the world. This has been attributed to several reasons including among others differences in organizational culture and inferiority complex. This study sought to identify a model that will foster a harmonious working relationship between the UPDF (Ugandan Military) and the Civil Authority in the field of disaster management. The research is a qualitative bibliographic review study based on secondary data sourced from vast literature on civil-military coordination/cooperation, theories of organizations, disaster management trainings and equipments, and legal aspects of disaster management. The findings indicate that civil-military coordination in disaster management in Uganda is generally unsatisfactory; UPDF, in particular, does not have a designated formation/unit for disaster response and there is no specific course curriculum for disaster management training in the force, the same is true of the civil authority. This research recommends a model for fostering harmony in civil-military coordination in disaster management. It further suggests that the UPDF should have a disaster response procedure (SOP) and part-take in the entire process of disaster management cycle. Search Terms: Civil-military coordination, Civil-military Cooperation, Disaster Management, Organization Structures, disaster organizational framework and Uganda.