Museveni promotes 301 military officers; five Brig. Gen. elevated to Maj. Gen.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the latest promotions and rank confirmations are intended to reinforce command structures, enhance leadership effectiveness and ensure continuity in the UPDF’s mandate of safeguarding Uganda’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Acting director defence and public information, Col Chris Magezi. (File photo)
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President Yoweri Museveni, the Commander-in-Chief of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), has promoted 301 military officers and confirmed the ranks of 172 others in a move aimed at professionalising the army.
The changes, announced by the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs on Tuesday, affect officers across various levels, including Generals, Senior and Junior ranks.
Acting director defence and public information, Col Chris Magezi, said among those affected are 83 officers, who had been serving in acting capacities and have now been confirmed in their substantive positions. In addition, 89 Second Lieutenants, who had been on probation were officially confirmed as full Lieutenants.
At the senior command level, Major General Joseph Musoke Ssemwanga, who had been serving in an acting capacity, was confirmed as a substantive Major General. Others who were promoted from the rank of Brigadier to Major General include; Godwin Karugaba; Chris Musinguzi Bagonza; Michael Nyarwa; Richard Karemire; and David Robert Gonyi.
Rogers Kitwala and Mike Walaka Hyeroba, were promoted to Brigadier General, alongside numerous promotions across Lieutenant Colonel, Major, and Captain ranks.
The ministry congratulated all the officers, who were promoted and confirmed, describing the move as an important step in strengthening the institution’s operational readiness and leadership capacity.
These promotions and confirmations strengthen leadership across all levels of the force and ensure continuity in fulfilling the UPDF’s constitutional mandate to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Uganda.
The promotions come in the wake of the pending retirement of 21 senior UPDF generals in August this year as the army rolls out a large-scale transition exercise affecting nearly 1,900 personnel.
Key among these include Public Service Minister and former Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Katumba Wamala; Lt Gen. Charles Angina, the former Deputy Coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) and currently Uganda’s deputy ambassador to Egypt; Former Chief of Staff Maj Gen Leopold Kyanda; former Chief of Military Intelligence Maj. Gen. Abel Kandiho: Maj. Gen. Kaasiita Gowa the former Chief of the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control; and former Deputy Inspector General of Police Maj Gen Tumusiime Katsigazi, among others.
It also comes in the wake of the UPDF releasing a public notice on the physical recruitment exercise that will run from August 10 - 22, 2026, in different districts across the country.
“They must report with all the requirements indicated. Also note that only the UPDF technical recruitment teams have the sole authority to recruit anyone into the UPDF as per the recruitment criteria. The role of the local councils, district and city authorities is to ensure that shortlisted candidates as displayed on the UPDF portal are adult Ugandans without a criminal record, and are residents of the area in which they applied,” Magezi stated.
Each of the shortlisted applicants is required to come with; a handwritten application addressed to the Joint Staff Human Resource Management; Recommendations from Local Council 1 (LC1), LC3 and Gombolola Internal Security Officer or District Internal Security Officer; three coloured passport-size photographs; original national Identity Card; as well as the originals and photocopies of academic documents.
In June this year, the UPDF, announced the commencement of the online general recruitment exercise for the year 2026, inviting qualified, disciplined, and patriotic Ugandan citizens to serve their country in both regular and professional capacities.
The UPDF in a statement said the shortlist of successful candidates will be published on the UPDF website and displayed at all City and District notice boards between July 1 - 14, 2026. District recruitment quotas will be determined by the Uganda National Population and Housing Census 2024 report.
The UPDF noted that the recruitment is free. "No agents or intermediaries are involved. Report fraudsters. Females with professional qualifications are strongly encouraged to apply. Forged or falsified documents will lead to arrest and prosecution,” Magezi stated.
The army called upon all eligible Ugandans to seize this opportunity to serve their nation. “This exercise reflects the enduring values of Discipline, Patriotism, and Pan‑Africanism,” Magezi said.