In a routine move last week, President Yoweri Museveni, in executing his duties as Commander-In-Chief of the Ugandan armed forces, made changes in the UPDF command, redeploying several senior officers. Notable among the changes was the replacement of Brig. Richard Karemire as army spokesman with Brig. Flavia Byekwaso, a serving army MP and first female to fill that position. Karemire, who took up the post in 2017, was the highest ranking officer to be appointed to the position of army mouthpiece, His predecessors having been at the rank of Colonel and below.
In other changes effected concurrently, Museveni redeployed Maj. Gen. Sam Kiwanuka from Mubende Rehabilitation Centre to the position of Chief of Production and Welfare. Maj. Gen. Moses Ddiba Ssentongo was appointed to replace him at Mubende Rehabilitation Centre. Maj. Gen. Hudson Mukasa was appointed Chief of Staff Reserve Forces, Maj. Gen. Francis Okello, Commandant National Defense College, Maj. Gen. Innocent Oula, as Deputy Managing Director National Enterprise Corporation (NEC).
Maj. Gen. Don Nabasa, the former Commander of the Special Forces Command (SFC) who had been sent for further studies was appointed as the contingent commander-AMISOM while Brig. Gen. Emanuel Rwashande was made the new Chief of Civil- Military Cooperation.
Brig. Gen. Stephen Oluka was deployed to Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) together with Brig. Gen. George Etyang, Brig. Gen. Felix Kulayigye (an army MP) and Col. Robert Ocama.
Brig. Gen. Jeff Mukasa became the new Director Counter Terrorism while Brig. Gen. William Beinomugisha became second in command 2nd Division based in Mbarara. Brig. Gen. James Kaija was deployed to UK as Defense Advisor while Brig. Gen. Fred Karara, formerly second in command at 2nd Division, was sent to Sudan as Defence Attache.
Brig. Gen. Christopher Bbossa became the new Defence Attache to China, Brig. Gen. Mike Kisame was appointed as Defence Attache, Kenya, Brig. Gen. Joseph Balikudembe as the new 3rd Division Commander while Brig. Gen. Simon Ocan became Defence Attaché to Switzerland.
Brig. Gen. Michael Kabango was seconded to African Union Peace Support Operations Department.
Brig. Gen. Mathew Gureme became the new Chief of Training and Recruitment, Brig. Gen. Tingira Irumba was appointed as the new Chief of Policy and Plans. Brig. Gen. Charles Asiimwe was appointed as the new Commander, National Counter Terrorism Centre while Brig. Gen. Richard Otto became the new Deputy Chief of Military Intelligence (CMI).
Brig, Gen. James Nambale was deployed to Turkey as the new Defence Attache, Col. Bahoku Barigye to Cuba in the same capacity while Col. Keith Katungi ( in the photo) , fresh from The United States Army War College in Pennsylvania was appointed as Commandant of the Military Police.
Following the reshuffle by Gen. Museveni, one of the online wires based in Kigali, www.taarifa.rw singled out Brig. Gen. Charles Asiimwe, who they said was demoted “on account that he has been helping with recruitment for Rwandan rebels of RNC and selling fake Intel to the security system in Uganda”.
The wire also bought into the narrative of tribalists by claiming that the changes reflect a new dimension after Museveni facing public pressure that the army is largely dominated by officers from his tribe.
First of all, in making the changes, nobody was demoted. All the officers retained their ranks but were only switched to new roles to spread their competence and subject them to new challenges as all competent commanders do. That is a normal procedure and no officer remains in one post forever. For Asiimwe to be moved from the position of Deputy Director CMI to that of Commander National Counter Terrorism Centre is, in fact, a promotion. He will be fully in charge of the centre as opposed to being a deputy to someone else.
However, it is not surprising that Bigabo Patrick ( Taarifa) editor) singled out Asiimwe and impute seriously negative allegations on him.. Bigabo wants to make it look as if Museveni “fired” him because of Rwanda pressure. If he had committed such serious offences, he would have been dismissed and/or brought before the military court martial. Errant officers are not given more responsibility. How Taarifa reports is consistent with the attempt by Rwandan agents to read into the business of Uganda instead of minding their own internal affairs. Why is the writer concentrating on Uganda? He doesn’t have what to write in Rwanda?
On the issue of alleged tribal considerations, it so happens that in making deployments sometimes there is lack of regional balance, or other considerations, but that is not by design. Most high ranking officers have worked their way up the ladder without any attachment or secondment attached to their origins. They all deserve their posts and those who fail to serve, no matter where they hail from cannot get promoted or given sensitive assignments.Tribalists and their foreign allies cannot understand this.
Ugandans, unlike in some countries, are one people. That is why ethnic cleansing has never occurred (on a large scale). The people prefer to look on the brighter side of their collective interests instead of looking inward.
How Taarifa picked on the subject reveals a lot and they are not alone who are promoting tribalism talk to undermine the Uganda government and President Museveni .
Credit: commandonepost.com
