Museveni reshuffles UPDF commanders

President Museveni has elevated Maj Gen Francis Takirwa, who has been the commander of the Second Division, to the acting deputy commander of Land Forces.

Maj Gen Takirwa has wide experience in operations. He joined the army in the late 1980s and rose through the ranks. In 2009, he was the director of Inspection in UPDF.

He was once UPDF chief of operations and also served in Somalia.

In August last year, he was criticised for advising soldiers retiring from the army not to join the Opposition, but continue working with the government. He was also a UPDF representative in the 10th Parliament.

In a mini army reshuffle, Maj Gen Takirwa replaced Lt Gen Sam Okiding until last month.

Lt Gen Okiding was deployed as the commander of African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMS).

Maj Gen Jack Bakasumba, who has been the Ugandan Delegate to the South Sudan Peace Monitoring Mechanism, has been appointed acting chief of staff of the Land Forces, according to a statement issued by the deputy spokesman of the Defence ministry, Col Deo Akiiki.

Maj Gen Bakasumba was the Joint Chief of Staff of the Uganda Police Force before he was redeployed in South Sudan in February this year.

Maj Gen Bakasumba is replacing Brig Gen Bob Ogiki, who has been promoted to the rank of major general and appointed commander of Second Division, which is based at Makenke Barracks in Mbarara District.

Maj Gen Bakasumba is equally an experienced soldier. Before he was deployed in the police, he was UPDF commandant for the Peace Support Operations Centre in Singo.

He also commanded the UPDF soldiers in Somalia and chaired an inquiry into the attack on a UPDF outpost in Janaale in Somalia in September 2015.

Maj Gen Ogiki joined the army in 1995 as a cadet officer and has risen through the ranks.

He worked in the Internal Security Organisation from district level to the region.  He also worked in military intelligence as a director and later went to foreign missions in South Sudan and Somalia.