After hours of listening to personal testimonies from low- cadre soldiers, the commander in chief was dumbfounded, sources at the meeting said.
Among other shocking things Museveni learnt that his commanders demanded money to influence the award of army contracts. It is said that at least one commander earned $50,000 (Shs 130m) to deliver a contract. The money was reportedly found stashed in his bed.
Museveni was reportedly surprised to hear that even some of the senior officers he wanted to investigate the scam, were implicated.
The Observer has learnt that after presiding at the Independence day celebrations in Rukungiri last Wednesday, Museveni moved to Singo army training school, in Nakaseke district on Thursday. When he reached the training camp, he called a meeting with the fresh returnees.
All the rank and file turned up but Museveni reportedly asked all commanders, right from corporals to leave. After the commanders left, the president asked the soldiers to speak freely.
Every soldier handpicked to speak read out his number and name, which Museveni's aides wrote down. Every single statement was recorded. In that meeting, sources say, soldiers pulled the veil off the widespread corruption in Somalia, involving high-ranking UPDF officers. Soldiers confirmed they ate one meal a day, which was of very poor quality.
They further said the dry rations given couldn't last a week, yet they were continuously in harm's way. Because of the poor welfare, the soldiers' morale to fight the al-Shabaab
... the personification of Somali state failure...
gunnies was hugely dampened, they said.
The president, our source said, was very disturbed by the firsthand accounts of the soldiers. In the meeting, Museveni was also told that some senior army officers were cutting deals with contractors. They claimed that one captain was found with $50,000 stashed under his bed.
Interviewed for this story, Army Spokesman Lt Col Paddy Ankunda confirmed that the meeting took place. He said Museveni met the soldiers to welcome them back home and to thank them for their role in Somalia. He said the president held two meetings at Singo.
"Yes, the president ordered the commanders out of the meeting and told them to wait for their meeting. He met soldiers, first and then separately met with their commanders," Ankunda said.
Ankunda said the president had been deeply concerned by the alleged theft of army logistics in Somalia. He, however, declined to comment on the specifics of what transpired in the meeting.
"It would be speculative if I tell you what transpired in a meeting that I didn't attend," he said.
But our source said Ankunda attended the meeting.