An assessment of Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces’ (UPDF) capacity to respond to natural disaster emergencies

Abstract

Natural disaster induced catastrophes have dotted human history and are bound to remain a significant security threat to humanity through loss of lives and livelihoods, especially among the highly vulnerable poor communities that have poor coping and response capacity. Whereas technological development has over the years facilitated increase in knowledge, enabled their early detection and helped improve on intervention means, the severity and frequency of damage occasioned by natural disasters is projected to continue spiralling owing to climate change and population pressure on the environment. The galvanization of national, regional and international humanitarian efforts for disaster response, while commendable, has not been without challenges including limited logistic capacity, insufficient trained responders and lack of enabling legal, policy and coordination frameworks. Militaries, drawing on their inherent strategic and local mobility capabilities that facilitate response in otherwise inaccessible areas, possession of specialized engineering and communication equipment as well as being home to requisite skills and expertise in critical disaster response domains, are increasingly being called upon to support civilian response efforts. The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces is constitutionally charged to cooperate with civilian authority in natural disaster emergencies, and tasked to contribute to reduction of human and economic loss from natural hazards by strengthening its legal, policy and institutional frameworks. The study assessed UPDF Capacity to respond to emergencies occasioned by natural disaster. A mixed methods approach that combined literature review, document analysis and key informant interviews was employed to Identify and assess the strength and weaknesses of institutional response structures, legal and policy frameworks and the functionality of response coordination mechanisms. Qualitative data was thematically analyzed while quantitative data was analysed using SPSS. The UPDF response capacity scored at 68.6% and enriched by participation in past disasters, is buttressed by enabling national legal and policy frameworks that position it among key responders; human and logistic capacity which though built for other military functions is transferable to disaster response; strong communication, command and control mechanisms; disciplined response teams; strong civil-military trust and strong leadership. The capacity is however weakened by absence of a Disaster Management Fund and supporting Disaster Management Law, weak coordination frameworks with other responders, weak representation at national level, lack of a specified department to domicile response efforts, and absence of an institutional policy to guide planning and budgeting for capacity building. The UPDF has a good level of capacity to respond to natural disaster emergencies. The capacity should be further enhanced by enacting a Disaster Management Law, reviewing national disaster policy to address coordination and role assignment gaps, crafting an institutional disaster policy, domiciling coordination response in a single chieftaincy and harnessing the dispersed capacities through task-organization.