BUJUMBURA April 26th (ABP) – The Burundian ministry in charge of national defense, Mr. Alain Tribert Mutabazi has made more efforts on the modernization of equipment, the continuation of the construction and the rehabilitation of infrastructures as well as the strengthening of capabilities of the military in various fields. He said this on Wednesday April 19, 2023, during a press briefing devoted to the presentation of the report on the major achievements during the 3rd quarter of the 2022-2023 Budget year.
The follow-up of the procedures for the acquisition of equipment to supply the premises of the lake infantry battalion and the Marine Specialization School with drinking water, the digging of the gutters and the burial of the pipes which have been carried out are part of in this framework.
In the same chapter, the ministry also notes the monitoring and analysis of offers for the purchase of equipment to supply electricity to the premises of the General Staff of the 420th Brigade in Kayogoro and the continuation of rehabilitation works the garage of the vehicle maintenance and repair brigade as well as the construction of the pharmacy at the logistics brigade.
To that work is added the continuation of the construction work of the Military Hotel Infrastructure of Gitega, the reinforcement of the third and last slab of which has been carried out. As for the General Chaplaincy, he said, it is also in the process of building a multipurpose room in Bujumbura (economic capital), after a Chapel of the Chaplaincy of the 3rd Military Division built in Muyinga, which was inaugurated on February 19, 2023.
Regarding the modernization of equipment, Minister Mutabazi said that administrative and technical procedures continue, since even modernization is an ongoing process.
As for the capacity building of the military, he said, a simulation exercise, prevention and fight against terrorism was carried out in the second military division. Thus, 32 officers from the Battalion and Staff Command School (ECBEM) began their five-month training while other training continues in all military schools.
In addition, new officer candidate recruits arrived at the Higher Institute of Military Executives (ISCAM) in March 2023 while preparations for a 17 km military championship with charge, 8 km run and shooting, rope track, obstacle course and transport of an injured person and orienteering are advanced and the organizing committee of the said championship has already been appointed.
The strengthening of institutional and operational capacities within the ministry in charge of national defense was also marked by preparations for a military athletics championship, preparations for a battalion headquarters exercise which are advanced and training of 15 technicians at the Continuing Military Aviation Specialization School. She is in her 26th week out of 49, he said.
Mr. Mutabazi also notes a training of ciphers which is in its 24th week, a training of 25 radio operator candidates which is in its 19th week and 191 candidate non-commissioned officers have been certified section heads as well as 75 non-commissioned officers have been certified assistants to the platoon leader at the end of their respective training at the School for Non-Commissioned Officers (ESO).