By CHIMPREPORTS
President Museveni, who doubles as the Commander-in-chief of the armed forces, has moved Brig Charles Bakahumura from the influential position of Chief of Logistics and Engineering (CLE) in the UPDF.
Bakahumura will now serve as Uganda’s defence attache to Ankara, Turkey.
The Brigadier, who previously served as head of UPDF’s Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence, was appointed CLE in 2017.
It remains unclear why Museveni transferred Bakahumura and left the strategic position vacant.
The CLE is responsible for all Logistical requirements of the Defence Force including management of equipment and food.
Bakahumura was among the 36 senior army officers who were moved from their positions in an army reshuffle on Thursday.
The Defence Ministry is yet to issue a public notice about the new changes.
President Museveni also appointed Maj Gen Moses Rwakitarate as the Coordinator of National Vital Assets and Strategic Installations such as Uganda Wild Authority (Tourism), National Forest Authority (Environment) and Umeme (energy sector).
President Museveni recently ordered massive deployment of local defence units across national parks in western Uganda following attacks by terrorist Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).
The tourism sector generates over $1bn in revenues for the government annually, hence a critical sector for the state.
The President has also been waging a war on swamp reclamation and deforestation which he says destroy the environment.
Sources say Rwakitarate will also coordinate security for power generation assets such as dams and power distribution lines which have previously been damaged by criminals.
Rwakitarate previously served as Uganda’s defence attache to Belgium and Chief of Staff – Uganda Air Force.
Arusha
The former army spokesperson, Brig Richard Karemire, will move from Arusha where he was the defence liaison to Uganda where he will serve as Chief of Education, Sports and Culture in UPDF.
Karemire, a Cuba-trained spy who served in the military intelligence for decades, is a teacher by profession.
In Arusha, Karemire played a key role in strengthening Uganda’s defence cooperation with East African states.
Interestingly, Museveni also transferred the head of UPDF’s training, Brigadier Mathew Gureme to Arusha to replace Karemire. The position of Chief of Training remains vacant.
Sources in the army said the transfers point to a looming shake-up of the top military command.
“When the President starts transferring army officials, he doesn’t usually stop at that,” said an experienced army officer, adding, “We are likely to see a new leadership of the UPDF very soon.”
The source further said Uganda could soon witness increased participation of the armed forces in civilian affairs.
“For example, the UPDF came in to help Civil Aviation Authority’s contractors to complete construction works of the delayed airport expansion ahead of the recently-concluded Non-aligned Movement (NAM) conference in Kampala,” said a source who preferred anonymity to speak freely.
“Therefore, President Museveni could be taking his time to look for a new CLE who will develop the institutional capacity to take on bigger challenges such as road construction projects among others.”
Another defence official said Museveni is also keen on addressing challenges of corruption in the army especially in deployments in Somalia and procurement of substandard military equipment and air assets.
Several military aircraft have dropped from the sky under mysterious circumstances.
Officials have attributed the increased air crashes to procurement of substandard helicopters.
While speaking at the maiden graduation ceremony of the National Defence College- Uganda (NDC-U) in Buikwe District in January last year, Museveni warned against corruption.
“The army is moving well but I think you should emphasise the issue of corruption once you happen to be deployed. Make sure corruption which has been a problem in the civilian sector does not come to the army. We have had some cases of corruption. Corruption is very dangerous. If you steal fuel from the army, you steal supplies, you steal money, you are an enemy of the army. Corruption is not the future,” the President said.
Below is the list of new deployments of UPDF officers:
1-MAJ GEN MOSES B.RWAKITARATE-COORD NATIONAL VITAL ASSETS AND STRATEGIC INSTALLATIONS EG UWA, NFA UMEME
2-BRIG GEN SAM OMARA- COMMANDER KAWEWETA ARMY TRAINING SCHOOL
3-BRIG GEN JAMES KAIJA-THE CHIEF STAFF OFFICER OPERATION WEALTH CREATION
4-BRIG GEN FRED M.KARARA-DEPUTY CHIEF OF PRODUCTION AND WELFARE (CPW)
5-BRIG GEN EMMANUEL KANYESIGYE-COMMANDER JINJA CANTONMENT
6-BRIG GEN CHRISTOPHER K.BBOSA-COMMANDANT PSO TC SINGO
7-BRIG GEN BARIGYE JAMES RUHESI-COMMANDANT NAKASONGOLA CANTONMENT
8-BRIG GEN JAMES NAMBALE-COMD KABAMBA CANTONMENT
9-BRIG GEN RICHARD KAREMIRE-CESC
10-BRIG GEN EMMANUEL B.KAZAHURA-SDS AIR,NDC-U
11-BRIG GEN PETER GAETANO OMOLA-COMMANDANT URDCC
12-COL ROBERT RUTEINAMA-COMMANDANT RUBONGI CANT
13-COL SAAD KATEMBA – COMMANDANT NCOA
14-COL GERALD AHIMBISIBWE-DCP
15-LT COL PETER MUSITO TALWANA-CO GD BN (JFHQ)
SECONDMENT
BRIG GEN HEBERT R.MBONYE-HRM UGANDA POLICE
DEFENCE ATTACHES
1-BRIG GEN GEOFFREY KIGOZI KAWEESA KIGOZI – BEIJING CHINA
2-BRIG GEN FRANCIS KATO BOSSA-GENEVA SWITZERLAND
3-BRIG GEN PATRICK MWESIGYE -MOSCOW RUSSIA
4-BRIG GEN MATHEW GUREME-DLO ARUSHA
5-BRIG GEN CHARLES BAKAHUMURA-ANKARA TURKEY
6-COL BANSON DESIDERIUS MONDAY -KHARATOUM SUDAN
7-COL YOUNES BAGADA-SAUDI ARABIA
8-COL GEOFFREY C.KARUGABA- UK
9-COL CHRISTOPHER OGUME LAKI-ABUJA NIGERIA
10-COL CYRIL MAWA MUHINDO-ALGERS ALGERIA
11-LT COL ILLIER WAAKO AKAINE -LO BENI CONGO
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