Retiring Gen. Igumba hailed for transforming Kimaka

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Major General Don Nabasa, the Joint Staff Policy and Strategy Officer of the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF), has praised Maj. Gen. George Igumba for his distinguished service in the army and his contributions to the Senior Command and Staff College (SCSC) – Kimaka in Jinja city.

Nabasa, a former student of the college, described Igumba, who served as commandant for the past three years, as a dedicated and visionary leader who made significant strides, especially in infrastructure development.

Speaking during the official handover ceremony on June 6, 2025, Nabasa commended his leadership, saying it had propelled the college to success.

“He is an enterprising, dedicated and visionary officer with a combination of command, leadership and administration that has enabled the college to succeed,” he said.

Nabasa noted that Igumba had transformed the college’s appearance and ambience, citing greener surroundings and more appealing infrastructure than in previous years.

“It has been about 13 years since I was here as a student, and the college was very different from the way it is now, including the war game centre. You have made a very big contribution on top of professionalising the UPDF,” he added.

Reflecting on his term, Igumba expressed concern over the stagnant budget, which has remained unchanged since the college’s inception 20 years ago.

He noted that despite increasing student intake from 32 in the first cohort in 2004 to 52 today, and a corresponding rise in directing and support staff, the institution still operated under the same financial ceiling.

Running on a budget deficit of approximately sh2b, he said the college had struggled to implement planned activities.

From left, Maj. Gen. George Igumba (seated fifth) flanked by Major General Don Nabasa and Brig. Gen. Michael Kabango in a group photograph with the training instructors after the hand and takeover ceremony at the college on Friday.

He cited the proposed expansion of infrastructure to accommodate 100 students per cohort within the next three to five years, which remains unfulfilled due to funding constraints.

Although architectural designs and bills of quantities worth sh3.8b for the project were approved by the college’s control board last year, the funds have yet to be released.

“It is envisaged that the college’s dreams would have been realised in terms of infrastructure development since the college leadership had guided to at least raise the number to 100 students per cohort in the next three to five years,” he said.

He urged his successor, Brig. Gen. Michael Kabango, to pursue the matter further.

Igumba also revealed that although sh467m had been disbursed for the expansion of the student mess, the funds arrived late, prompting the college to postpone construction to avoid disrupting the ongoing course training, which is set to conclude this July.

“This money was availed for the mess project, so you have something to start on with,” he told Kabango.

On academic integrity, Igumba said the college had long struggled to acquire anti-plagiarism software, but efforts had stalled at the Joint Staff Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), which was expected to fund the initiative despite having received all necessary documentation.

At the ceremony, Igumba handed over office keys, a fuel card, official seal and stamp, the college flag, and a dilapidated Coaster bus acquired in 2007, which he said was unsustainable to maintain due to its age.

He noted that although the Indian government had donated two buses, they had since aged, and efforts to swap them for four omnibuses suitable for field activities had failed.

Offering guidance to Kabango, Igumba advised that the college programme requires the physical and mental presence of all staff and could not be run via telephone, social media or mere delegation.

“Truth be told, it is through shared commitment, dedication and sacrifice for the bigger good of Uganda as opposed to our personal interests,” he said.

He attributed his success to this ethos, quoting Napoleon Bonaparte: “If you want a thing done well, do it yourself.”

He added that it was now up to Kabango to either build on or abandon the foundations laid.

“The bottom line is that always be there, because the college programme, like it pertains elsewhere on the globe, demands that all stakeholders be in their places of work if the objectives for which they were established are to be realised,” he urged.

Igumba said the handover marked his long-awaited exit from active military service after 45 years, and he leaves “with head held high and shoulders back.”

He drew spiritual consolation from 2 Timothy 4:7-8: “I have done my best in the race, I have run the full distance and I have kept the faith. And now, there is waiting for me the victory prize of being put right with God.”

He invited the audience to join him in celebrating God's love, grace, mercy, and blessings that had enabled him to reach this point.

Igumba also expressed gratitude to President Yoweri Museveni, the Commander-in-Chief, for trusting him with leadership responsibilities.

He said President Museveni’s vision and steadfastness were invaluable.

“May the good Lord continue to grant him the wisdom and energy to propel the governance programmes for the social transformation of the people of the motherland, Uganda and indeed beyond,” he prayed.

Nabasa echoed the sentiment, calling Igumba’s career “a journey very well walked” and declaring him “a library of the UPDF.”

“I feel so emotional, especially knowing that you are leaving the mighty force. But as a matter of fact, we must all come to serve, time reaches, and we leave. We can’t serve forever,” Nabasa said.

Meanwhile, Kabango vowed to build on his predecessor’s foundation and pledged to uphold the collaborative spirit that defines the college. Nabasa called on staff to extend the same support to Kabango as they had to Igumba.