The Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF), previously known as the National Resistance Army, is the armed forces of Uganda. From 2007 to 2011, the International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated the UPDF had a total strength of 40,000–45,000, consisting of land forces and an air wing. Recruitment to the forces is done annually.
Major General Nathan Mugisha is a military officer in Uganda People's Defence Force. He is the current Deputy Ambassador of Uganda to Somalia. He was appointed to that position in June 2011. Prior to that, he served as the Commander of the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM), June 2009 until June 2011, being the third military officer to serve in that capacity. Before taking the command of AMISOM he was commandant of the Uganda Senior Command and Staff College, at Kimaka, a suburb of Jinja.
Major General Fredrick Mugisha, commonly referred to as Fred Mugisha, is a senior military officer in the Uganda People's Defence Force and assumed command over AMISOM as the fourth commander on 15 June 2011.
Charles Angina is a lieutenant general in the Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF). As of August 2021, he is awaiting assignment at the Uganda Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From January 2017 until July 2021, he served as the deputy chief coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), a development program operated by the Ugandan military.
Leopold Eric Kyanda, is a Major General in the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF). Effective 24 June 2021, he serves as the Joint Chief of Staff of the UPDF. He replaced Lieutenant General Joseph Musanyufu who was redeployed to the civil service.
Lieutenant General Andrew Gutti is a Ugandan military officer. He was the chairman of the General Court Martial of the Uganda People's Defence Force until 3 August 2022, when he handed over office to Brigadier General Robert Freeman Mugabe. Gutti was appointed to that position in May 2016, replacing the late Major General Levi Karuhanga.
Lieutenant General Kayanja Muhanga is a Ugandan army officer, who currently serves as Commander of Land Forces in UPDF. He was appointed to that position in October 2022 by the President of Uganda and Commander in chief of the UPDF, Yoweri Museveni. He previously served as commander of the Uganda People's Defence Force contingent in Eastern DRC under Operation Shujaa. He was appointed to that position in January 2021 by Yoweri Museveni, the Commander in Chief of the UPDF and the President of Uganda. Prior to that, Maj. General Muhanga served as the commandant of the military police within the UPDF.
Major General Moses Ddiba Ssentongo is a military officer in the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF). He is one of two deputy director generals of the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), the investment vehicle of the UPDF. He was appointed to that position in March 2016. Before that, from June 2013 until June 2014, he served as the chairman of the UPDF General Court Martial, one of the highest military courts in the UPDF. Before that, Ssentongo served as the political commissar of the UPDF. He replaced Fred Tolit, who was appointed as Uganda’s Defense Attaché to the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Major General Fred Ociti Tolit, is a military officer in the Uganda People's Defense Force. He currently serves as Uganda's Defense Attaché to South Africa, based at the country's embassy in Pretoria. He previously served as Uganda's defence attaché to Burundi, based at Uganda's Embassy in Bujumbura, since 2016.
Major General Richard Prit Olum, commonly known as Dick Olum, is a military officer in the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF). Effective 13 May 2024, he serves as commander of the "South Sudan Stabilization Mechanism", an observer force to ensure adherence to the peace agreements. Before that, he served as the Ugandan commander of the UPDF forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo under the joint Uganda/DRC mission code named Operation Shujaa. He simultaneously served as the commander of the UPDF Mountain Division, based in Fort Portal, Kabarole District at the base of the Rwenzori Mountains. His appointment was made on 12 October 2022.
Lieutenant General Samuel Kavuma, commonly known as Sam Kavuma, is a Ugandan senior military officer. Since March 2024, he has bene serving as the Commander of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). Before that, from 24 June 2021 until 24 March 2024, he was the deputy coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation, a presidential appointment by Yoweri Museveni Immediately before that position, he served as the deputy commander of the Uganda People's Defence Force Air Force. Before that, Kavuma served as the Commander of the Uganda People's Defence Force Contingent in Somalia, as part of the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM). He was appointed to that position in October 2014. He replaced Brigadier General Dick Olum, who served in that position from September 2013 until October 2014.
The National Defence College, Kenya (NDCK) is a training facility under NDU-K https://ndu.ac.ke/ for senior commanders in the Military of Kenya, including the army, navy, air force and special forces. Training is also availed to senior Kenyan civil servants and senior military officers from African countries and other continents.
James Nakibus Lakara, commonly known as Nakibus Lakara, is a Lieutenant General in the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF). Since June 2016, he has been the commander of the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre based in Jinja in the Eastern Region of Uganda. From April 2015 until June 2016, he served as the deputy force commander of the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) and was in charge of logistical support. From July 2013 until April 2015, he served as the commanding officer of the UPDF 3rd Division, based in Moroto.
Lieutenant General Charles Lwanga Lutaaya, is a senior Ugandan military officer in the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF). He is a presidential advisor on matters of Airforce. Before that, he was the Commander of the UPDF Air Force after having served as Deputy Commander of the UPDF Air Force.
Major General Silver Kayemba is a senior military officer in the Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF). He currently serves as the Military Attaché at Uganda's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York City.
Major General Richard Otto is a senior military officer in the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF). Since 13 May 2024, he has been the Commander of the UPDF Mountain Division and also Commander of "Operation Shujaa", a joint undertaking by the UPDF and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) to neutralize the Allied Democratic Front (ADF) terrorist organization in the Eastern DR Congo. Immediately prior to his current assignment, Richard Otto was the chairman of the "South Sudan Peace Mechanism", an IGAD-sponsored observer mechanism, to ensure adherence to the peace treaties by the protagonists.
Major General Gavas Mugyenyi, also Garvas Mugyenyi is a senior military officer in the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF). He serves as Uganda's military attache to India, effective January 2020.
Major General Don William Nabasa, is a Ugandan military officer in the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF). He currently serves as the Commander of the UPDF Military Police, effective 26 October 2021. Before that, he was the commander of the Uganda contingent in Somalia as part of AMISOM.
Hudson Mukasa is a Major General in the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF). Since June 2016, he has been the Military Attaché to Uganda's Embassy to Kenya, based in Nairobi. Before that he served as the Military Attaché at Uganda's Embassy to Burundi, based in Bujumbura.
Paul L'Okech was a senior military officer at the rank of Lieutenant General in the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF), who was appointed Deputy Inspector General of Police of the Uganda Police Force on 16 December 2020. Between November 2017 and December 2019, he served on special assignment "to monitor on behalf of the guarantors of the South Sudan peace process, the assembling, screening, demobilization and integration of the armed forces of South Sudan".
