THE CAR-SUJA VEHICLE: GEN. MKM Donates a Brand-New Toyota Land Cruiser Pickup to The Uganda Media Centre After Learning That Two Staff Members Had Been Involved in an Accident

Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba Museveni has donated a brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser pickup truck to the Uganda Media Centre (UMC), in a move expected to strengthen the institution’s ability to cover government activities and undertake field assignments across the country.

The utility vehicle was delivered to UMC executive director Alan Kasujja on Sunday by the Acting Director of Defence Public Information, Col Chris Magezi. The donation followed a meeting between Gen Muhoozi and Kasujja, during which the two discussed national matters, geopolitics, faith and the work ahead, according to Kasujja.

Kasujja later disclosed that he had raised the issue of transport at UMC after informing the CDF about an accident involving two of his colleagues, Glen and Michael. The two employees of UMC had been involved in an accident while travelling in a vehicle used for their work. Kasujja said he mentioned to Gen Muhoozi that the institution needed to replace the vehicle that had been involved in the accident. He said the CDF responded immediately.

“Less than two hours after we parted ways, a brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser arrived to support our work,” Kasujja said in a statement. The vehicle was delivered by Col Magezi on behalf of the CDF. Kasujja also reported that both Glen and Michael, the two UMC staff members involved in the accident, were doing well. He thanked God for their safety and expressed appreciation for the intervention that resulted in the replacement vehicle.

The donation gives UMC additional transport capacity at a time when the government communication institution is required to provide media access and information from activities taking place across the country. The vehicle is particularly expected to support long-distance assignments, where journalists and government communication officials have to travel to remote districts to document government programmes, public events and other national activities.

CDF Support

According to the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MoDVA), the donation is part of what it described as close interagency cooperation between the defence establishment and other government institutions. Col Magezi said the donation demonstrated cooperation within government aimed at improving service delivery, transparency and accountability.

“The MoDVA/UPDF, under Gen. Kainerugaba’s leadership, has consistently believed in and supported the work of the Uganda Media Centre,” Kasujja said. “We do not take that support for granted. Asante sana, Afande,” he added. The donation places emphasis on the practical needs of government communication, particularly mobility.

The Uganda Media Centre serves as a platform through which government ministries, departments and agencies engage the media and the public. Its operations often involve facilitating press conferences, government briefings, media engagements and communication around national programmes. Field operations also require officials and media personnel to travel outside Kampala. The new Land Cruiser is therefore expected to improve the centre’s ability to undertake such assignments.

Accident Triggers Request

The donation came shortly after the accident involving the two UMC employees. Kasujja said that during his meeting with Gen Muhoozi, the issue of the damaged vehicle was not initially the main subject of their discussion. He described it as something he mentioned “almost in passing”. However, according to Kasujja, Gen Muhoozi immediately acted on the information. The speed with which the replacement vehicle was delivered became a major feature of Kasujja’s account of the meeting. He said that after the meeting ended, less than two hours passed before a new Toyota Land Cruiser had arrived to support the centre’s work. The account portrays the vehicle as an operational intervention following the loss of an existing vehicle in the accident.

There was no indication in the statement of the value of the new vehicle or the procurement process through which it was acquired. The statement also did not provide details of the damaged vehicle or the circumstances surrounding the accident involving the two UMC employees.

Military-Civilian Cooperation

The donation also highlights the relationship between the UPDF and civilian government institutions. The UPDF says its constitutional mandate includes cooperating with civilian authorities in specified circumstances and fostering harmony and understanding between the defence forces and civilians. The force also describes itself as a national institution subordinate to civilian authority and says its mandate includes cooperation with civilian authorities.

Gen Muhoozi became CDF in March 2024, succeeding Gen Wilson Mbadi. At the time of his assumption of office, he said the UPDF would continue to focus on professionalism, national security and improving the welfare and working conditions of its personnel. The UPDF has subsequently highlighted civil-military cooperation as part of its activities, including engagements with government agencies and communities.

In recent months, the military has also worked with other government institutions in activities ranging from disaster preparedness to infrastructure and community interventions. The donation to UMC therefore comes against a broader background of interaction between the military establishment and civilian government agencies.

Media Operations

For UMC, the immediate concern is operational. The centre is expected to facilitate communication between government and the public, making reliable transport important for staff undertaking assignments away from Kampala. Long-distance field work can involve travel to districts where government projects, public events, security activities, infrastructure developments and other programmes are being implemented.

A utility vehicle capable of handling such assignments can consequently expand the centre’s operational reach. The Land Cruiser is expected to be used as a work vehicle rather than as a ceremonial asset, with UMC indicating that it will support its operations. Kasujja’s statement did not indicate whether the vehicle would be assigned to a particular department or whether it would be available to different UMC teams depending on their field assignments.

Kasujja Thanks CDF

Kasujja expressed appreciation for the donation, describing the support from the Defence Ministry and UPDF as something the media centre valued. His meeting with Gen Muhoozi had initially covered wider issues, including national affairs and geopolitics. Kasujja said the CDF also asked about Glen and Michael after learning of their accident.

He reported that both staff members were recovering well. The concern for the two employees, followed by the provision of a replacement vehicle, formed the immediate background to the donation. The vehicle was handed over on Sunday by Col Magezi, who represented the CDF at the delivery.

The Ministry of Defence described the donation as demonstrating interagency cooperation intended to enhance service delivery and strengthen transparency and accountability across government sectors. For UMC, the immediate benefit is increased mobility. The institution will now have an additional vehicle to support its work, particularly assignments involving long-distance travel across Uganda.

The donation also reinforces the role of transport in government communication, where officials and media teams increasingly have to move beyond Kampala to document activities and engage communities. As UMC begins using the new Toyota Land Cruiser, its officials are expected to deploy it for the centre’s operational needs, with the institution expressing gratitude to Gen Muhoozi and the defence establishment