Museveni creates two senior military posts

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni. FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

By RISDEL KASASIRA in Kampala

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has created a new position of Deputy Commander Land Forces in the latest mini army reshuffle.

The office’s first occupant will be the deputy commander of Air Force, Brig Sam Kavuma, who has also been promoted to the rank of Major General.

The Defence and Military spokesperson, Brig Richard Karemire, Sunday said the creation of the new office by the President is intended to streamline the Land Forces.

“We did not have a deputy of the Commander Land Forces. In Cabinet, you have deputy ministers, and where he (Kavuma) was, he was a deputy. Therefore, there was a need to have a deputy Commander Land Forces,” Brig Karemire said.

The position

As deputy commander Air Force, Maj Gen Kavuma, will be replaced by Maj Gen Garvas Mugyenyi, the current commander of Air Defence division based in Nakasongola District.

Sources say there is a plan to merge Air Forces and Air Defence. Air Forces are commanded by Maj Gen Charles Lutaaya.

Maj Gen Kavuma will now deputise Maj Gen Peter Elwelu, who was appointed to the position of Commander Land Forces early this year. Maj Gen Kavuma has served both in command and staff positions.

He commanded UPDF troops in Somalia in 2014. Before going to Somalia, he had overseen operations against Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army rebels in the Central African Republic. He also commanded the Fifth division in Pader.