What the army reshuffle means

Oct 24, 2005

<b>By Joshua Kato</b><br><br>The changes in the army announced by the Commander-in-Chief (CIC), General (rtd) Yoweri Museveni yesterday did not surprise many. Most of the officers appointed to new positions in the restructured force were top commanders.

By Joshua Kato

The changes in the army announced by the Commander-in-Chief (CIC), General (rtd) Yoweri Museveni yesterday did not surprise many. Most of the officers appointed to new positions in the restructured force were top commanders.

The changes followed a long reform exercise that included training of officers up to the necessary professional level. The reform study recommended creation of new structures. These include the Chief of Defense Forces (CDF)and deputy, Joint Chief of Staff, Commander of Land Forces, Chief of Staff-Land Forces, Commander of Air Forces and others.

The study recommended that top command ranks and responsibilities should be uniform, which the CIC has tried to implement. As expected, a number of officers who recently completed a one year military course at the Senior Officers College at Kimaka have formed the basis for the new structures. Lt Gen Ivan Koreta was head of Kimaka.

General Aronda Nyakairima and Lt Gen Ivan Koreta were perhaps the best choices for Chief of Defence Forces and deputy. They are among the best trained officers and are highly respected.

Aronda joined the then rebel group NRA in the early 1980s and registered solid achievements as Army Commander. Soldiers are now smarter and corruption that dented UPDF for long has reduced drastically. In his mid 40s, Aronda is still full of energy and capable of serving for another decade or so.
Ivan Koreta started soldiering in the late 1970s. He was instrumental in the NRA bush war where he commanded the 13th battalion during the capture of Kampala in 1986. Having led the Ugandan contingent on a peace-keeping mission to Liberia, he has enough experience to lead the army.

Lt Gen Katumba Wamala, who has been appointed Commander of Land Forces, has left the Uganda Police a better force than it was when he joined it. Corruption has gone down and the police is more respected by the population.

Katumba’s new deployment is critical because Land Forces form the bulk of the army. He trained in the US and Egypt and is highly skilled in infantry warfare. He commanded the UPDF in the north against LRA rebels and in eastern DRC. Four years as head of the police force have only boosted his experience in leadership.

Perhaps one of the surprises was the appointment of Maj Gen Kale Kaihura as Inspector General of Police. One of the officers closest to the president, Kaihura has been the army’s Chief Political Commissar (CPC). He also coordinated the president’s activities with veterans and others.

His new position means he may have to reduce on the load. He is a strict disciplinarian whose mode of operation is hands on. He is credited for having supervised an orderly withdrawal of UPDF from DRC.

Another surprise was the deployment of Brig Noble Mayombo as Permanent Secretary in the ministry of defense. It had been rumoured that Mayombo was slated for bigger things, presumably as head of a new Directorate of Intelligence that would have brought together all intelligence organisations.

However, the directorate has not been created. His posting to an office previously held by civilians could strengthen the army’s ability to promote its image. He is more knowledgeable about army operations and is in a better position to articulate army issue before MPs.

The other Kimaka graduates, Generals Salim Saleh, Elly Tumwine and David Tinyefuza did not make it to new direct command positions but were also given important appointments.

For example Gen Saleh’s new brief as Senior Presidential Advisor for the Reconstruction of the Luwero Triangle, Northern Uganda and Rwenzori Region is timely. He has for long been fighting to be officially appointed to a role that would give him easy access to wanachi and war veterans. In Kimaka, his paper was on ways of helping northern Uganda recover after the war. On a number of occasions he has tried to assist veterans in Luwero but registered limited success because he was doing it individually.

Gen Tinyefuza's appointment as Senior Presidential Advisor to co-ordinate Internal Security Organisation (ISO) and External Security Organisation (ESO) in intelligence gathering and analysis is aimed at streamlining operations of the two spy bodies. ISO, ESO and CMI have had numerous conflicts amongst themselves.

Tinyefuza will effectively apply his experience as a professional policeman and soldier to evaluate the intelligence bodies and create harmony among them. However, some officers are wondering whether Tinyefuza, a professional policeman would not have been suitable for the top position in the police force.

Gen Tumwine’s stay as Chairman of the Court Martial will ensure continuity in the court’s proceedings.

“Most of us expected one of the first Generals to be appointed as Chief of Defense Forces, but I think Mzee (President Museveni) considered continuity of the army, since the Generals are a bit older,” observed an administrative lieutenant at Bombo.

However, a few old officers such as Brig Hussein Ada who joined the forces in the 1960s has been brought on board. Maj Gen Joshua Masaba, formerly Chief of Staff and now Presidential Advisor on the Air Force, seems to be on the way to retirement.

Col James Mugira’s deployment to the Armoured Brigade is another surprise.

Mugira has been acting CMI boss and has been in intelligence gathering for much of his soldering life. He joined NRA in 1985 together with Mayombo.

After the war in 1986 he trained in Munduli Military Academy before he was deployed in the President’s office. He has a Masters in Law, a Bachelors degree in strategic planning and several certificates attained in Ghana, the US and other countries. “He is a strict disciplinarian,” said an army source.

The selection of new top commanders from among the best trained officers is an indication that the CIC is keen on professionalizing the army. Many of them are lawyers and political scientists, which blends well with a modern and professional army.

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