Col Obbo back at Defence Information Unit as Maj. Katamba goes for  Senior Command and Staff Course

KAMPALA - Col Henry Obbo has officially assumed office as Deputy Director of Defence Public Information at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MODVA) headquarters, Mbuya in Kampala city.

He takes over from Maj Bilal Katamba, who will be enrolling for the prestigious Senior Command and Staff Course at an institution outside Uganda.

In his brief remarks, Maj Katamba expressed gratitude to the UPDF leadership for the opportunity to serve and thanked Maj Gen Kulayigye for his guidance, praising the teamwork and cooperation of the staff.

Before moving the headquarters in March this year, Katamba was the spokesperson for the UPDF Mountain Division and Shujaa Operations against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The change of guard ceremony earlier today, August 19, was presided over by the Director of Defence Public Information, Maj Gen Felix Kulayigye, who commended Maj Katamba for his exemplary service in enhancing the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) image as a people-centred army. 

To the two officers, he added, "When given responsibility, don’t ask why, but do it with commitment and dedication. While challenges are inevitable, they can be overcome through discipline and hard work."

A release from his office states that he also urged staff to embrace humility, responsibility, and a spirit of learning. “Always love people who correct you,” he added, emphasising the value of constructive feedback and respect for others.

Col Obbo pledged to build on his predecessor’s legacy, saying, “I will deepen and widen teamwork, cooperation, and collaboration with other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.”

He also expressed appreciation to the UPDF leadership for their trust, adding: “I am blessed to work with my mentor, Maj Gen Kulayigye, who has mentored many, and I am happy to be one of them.” He highlighted the importance of leadership continuity through mentorship.

Obbo was Deputy Spokesperson for UPDF  from 2014 to 2017.

He left office to attend a Senior Command Course at Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, USA. 

Upon return, he was deployed as spokesperson for Land Forces.

Other assignments in the past five years include deployment in South Sudan, working at National Defence College Uganda ( Njeru), where he was an administrator, before admission for a year-long course at the same institution. 

He graduated on June 13th, 2025, as the second-best student. Best Overall Student for the same intake was Col Ronald Mulindwa.