The UPDF last week embarked on joint military operation against the LRA in the thick forests of Garamba in DR Congo.
The UPDF special forces, air force and artillery are backed by the Congolese and Sudan Peoples Liberation forces. The operation is for the first time largely drawn on the services of new, young and highly trained UPDF commanders. The elite commanders are testament to the transformation and modernisation of the national army. Saturday Monitor’s Grace Matsiko profiles the key commanders at the battle grounds in Garamba.
Brig. Patrick Kankiriho
The 48-year-old UPDF 3rd Division Commander, is the overall commander of the Operation Lightning Thunder. He joined the guerilla National Resistance Army (NRA) headed by President Museveni in 1982. When the rebel force captured power, he was sent to Northern Uganda to fight the Holy Spirit Movement led by Alice Lakwena (RIP) as a junior commander, according to colleagues in the army and relatives.
When the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) attacked Uganda in 1997, Brig. Kankiriho, then a captain, was sent to Western Uganda and was later deployed to the DRC to deny the ADF sanctuary.
As a Major, Brig. Kankiriho served as the UPDF 13th battalion commander in the north before President Museveni elevated him to a Lieutenant Colonel in 2003 and appointed him the commander of the UPDF 401 infantry brigade based in Lira and Pader.
In 2006, Kankiriho was promoted to the rank of a Colonel after completing a one-year course at Kimaka Senior Command and Staff College and sent to the UPDF 3rd Division based in Moroto, where he was involved in the disarmament exercise. A year later, he was promoted to the rank of a Brigadier. By virtue of the rank, he sits on the Army Council, the UPDF High Command.
Col. Moses Rwakitarate
He is Brig. Kankiriho’s deputy. The Air Force Chief of staff is a product of Makerere College School. He is a soccer fan and most of his colleagues say he exudes an image of a corporate. Born to Evangelist Godfrey Rwakitarate and Ms Jane Rwakitarate of Mbarara, the colonel is a Bachelor of Commerce graduate from India.
He joined the guerilla NRA forces in Kasese in 1985. After the NRA captured power, he was deployed in the newly created Anti-Smuggling Unit (ASU). He had his military training in Ghana and Nigeria, acquiring qualifications which are an equivalent of a masters programme in military science. The Rwanda genocide and the ethnic killings in Burundi, were the other components that formed his master’s research paper. He has twice been to the Kimaka Senior Staff Command College.
Col. Rwakitarate was an intelligence officer of the now Presidential Guard Brigade (PGB). During his time at State House, he is remembered for leading the arrest of Maj. Okwir Rabwoni, from the VIP lounge at Entebbe International Airport. Col. Rwakitarate has also been the commandant of the air base at Entebbe, a key national site.
Lt. Col. Muhoozi Kainerugaba
34-year-old Muhoozi, and the first son, is the commander of the Special Forces within the UPDF that is fighting the LRA in DRC. Under his command is the commando battalion based at Barlege, northern Uganda, Anti-terror Crack Unit, motorised infantry (tank unit) and paratroopers.
President Museveni appointed Lt. Col. Muhoozi commander-in-charge of development of Special Forces in August this year. Col. Muhoozi RO 8643 in July, 2008, graduated from the US Army Command and General Staff College, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
In 2000, Col Muhoozi graduated from Sandhurst Military Academy in the UK. His early education was at Kampala Parents School, King’s College Budo and St. Mary’s College Kisubi. He later joined Nottingham University in the UK, where he studied political science before joining the Presidential guard in 2001. He was involved in controversial recruitment of university graduates into the Presidential guard, even when he was not in the army at the time. The First family later clarified that he was a member of the Local Defence Unit ( LDU).
During his university education, he was one of the brains behind Frontline Magazine, a publication that has since folded. He is married to Ms Charlotte Kutesa, daughter to foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa. Col. Muhoozi has also had military training in Libya, China and Israel. Mr Museveni’s critics say, he is glooming his son to take over state power from him. President Museveni told the media during his son’s graduation in Kansas that the UN and the DRC had the responsibility of dealing with the LRA rebels. Coincidentally, they are the same forces that his son is relying on to achieve that goal today.
The UPDF special forces, air force and artillery are backed by the Congolese and Sudan Peoples Liberation forces. The operation is for the first time largely drawn on the services of new, young and highly trained UPDF commanders. The elite commanders are testament to the transformation and modernisation of the national army. Saturday Monitor’s Grace Matsiko profiles the key commanders at the battle grounds in Garamba.
Brig. Kankiriho
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The 48-year-old UPDF 3rd Division Commander, is the overall commander of the Operation Lightning Thunder. He joined the guerilla National Resistance Army (NRA) headed by President Museveni in 1982. When the rebel force captured power, he was sent to Northern Uganda to fight the Holy Spirit Movement led by Alice Lakwena (RIP) as a junior commander, according to colleagues in the army and relatives.
When the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) attacked Uganda in 1997, Brig. Kankiriho, then a captain, was sent to Western Uganda and was later deployed to the DRC to deny the ADF sanctuary.
As a Major, Brig. Kankiriho served as the UPDF 13th battalion commander in the north before President Museveni elevated him to a Lieutenant Colonel in 2003 and appointed him the commander of the UPDF 401 infantry brigade based in Lira and Pader.
In 2006, Kankiriho was promoted to the rank of a Colonel after completing a one-year course at Kimaka Senior Command and Staff College and sent to the UPDF 3rd Division based in Moroto, where he was involved in the disarmament exercise. A year later, he was promoted to the rank of a Brigadier. By virtue of the rank, he sits on the Army Council, the UPDF High Command.
Col Rwakitarate
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He is Brig. Kankiriho’s deputy. The Air Force Chief of staff is a product of Makerere College School. He is a soccer fan and most of his colleagues say he exudes an image of a corporate. Born to Evangelist Godfrey Rwakitarate and Ms Jane Rwakitarate of Mbarara, the colonel is a Bachelor of Commerce graduate from India.
He joined the guerilla NRA forces in Kasese in 1985. After the NRA captured power, he was deployed in the newly created Anti-Smuggling Unit (ASU). He had his military training in Ghana and Nigeria, acquiring qualifications which are an equivalent of a masters programme in military science. The Rwanda genocide and the ethnic killings in Burundi, were the other components that formed his master’s research paper. He has twice been to the Kimaka Senior Staff Command College.
Col. Rwakitarate was an intelligence officer of the now Presidential Guard Brigade (PGB). During his time at State House, he is remembered for leading the arrest of Maj. Okwir Rabwoni, from the VIP lounge at Entebbe International Airport. Col. Rwakitarate has also been the commandant of the air base at Entebbe, a key national site.
Lt. Col. Muhoozi
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34-year-old Muhoozi, and the first son, is the commander of the Special Forces within the UPDF that is fighting the LRA in DRC. Under his command is the commando battalion based at Barlege, northern Uganda, Anti-terror Crack Unit, motorised infantry (tank unit) and paratroopers.
President Museveni appointed Lt. Col. Muhoozi commander-in-charge of development of Special Forces in August this year. Col. Muhoozi RO 8643 in July, 2008, graduated from the US Army Command and General Staff College, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
In 2000, Col Muhoozi graduated from Sandhurst Military Academy in the UK. His early education was at Kampala Parents School, King’s College Budo and St. Mary’s College Kisubi. He later joined Nottingham University in the UK, where he studied political science before joining the Presidential guard in 2001. He was involved in controversial recruitment of university graduates into the Presidential guard, even when he was not in the army at the time. The First family later clarified that he was a member of the Local Defence Unit ( LDU).
During his university education, he was one of the brains behind Frontline Magazine, a publication that has since folded. He is married to Ms Charlotte Kutesa, daughter to foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa. Col. Muhoozi has also had military training in Libya, China and Israel. Mr Museveni’s critics say, he is glooming his son to take over state power from him. President Museveni told the media during his son’s graduation in Kansas that the UN and the DRC had the responsibility of dealing with the LRA rebels. Coincidentally, they are the same forces that his son is relying on to achieve that goal today.
Captain Magezi
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Capt. Chris Magezi is the operation’s spokesman. His relative told Saturday Monitor that he joined the forces in 1998 at the age of 20 in a major recruitment for the airforce cadets. After 11 months’ basic infantry training in Singo, Mubende, luck came knocking on his door and was sent to do a four months training in peace keeping operations and disaster preparedness in Kenya under the tutorships of American forces. He did computer training at the Uganda Management Institute, from where 14 of his classmates were picked for a course in Israel on a pilot’s course to fly the fighter jets.
In 2000, Capt Magezi was selected for a cadet course at the school of infantry in Jinja. In 2001, he was commissioned to the rank of Second Lieutenant and posted to UPDF 23rd Infantry battalion in the north. He worked as a platoon commander for the 23rd battalion, one of the first forces to enter Sudan under ‘Iron Fist I operation’ led by then Brig. Aronda Nyakairima. He was later promoted to head the battalion.
In 2003, he was appointed the spokesperson for the UPDF 5th Division based in Pader. In October 2004, he was appointed UPDF 2nd Division spokesman from where he was sent to the UPDF 4th Division based in Gulu as the Northern region army publicist.
In 2007, Capt. Magezi was appointed as the spokesman for the government peace delegation to negotiate with the LRA in Juba, Southern Sudan, a post he held until the Garamba assignment.
Other commanders in the ‘Lightning Thunder’ operation include Lt. Col. Victor Twesigye, the operations logistics officer, Lt. Col. Joseph Balikuddembe, operations officer, Lt. Col. John Byuma, the Commander of 309 Brigade, Lt. Col. Kanyesigye, the commander of 301 brigade but based in Koboko, Lt. Col. Hassan Kimbowa, 409 brigade based in Arua and Maj. Noel Mwesigye, the commander of the First commando battalion, which is under the Special forces.
Others include, Maj. Richard Otto, an Intelligence officer, Maj. Paul Muwonge, Intelligence Officer, Capt. Godfrey Musoba, the Contingent Political Commissar.
Most of the officers are war veterans.
In 2000, Capt Magezi was selected for a cadet course at the school of infantry in Jinja. In 2001, he was commissioned to the rank of Second Lieutenant and posted to UPDF 23rd Infantry battalion in the north. He worked as a platoon commander for the 23rd battalion, one of the first forces to enter Sudan under ‘Iron Fist I operation’ led by then Brig. Aronda Nyakairima. He was later promoted to head the battalion.
In 2003, he was appointed the spokesperson for the UPDF 5th Division based in Pader. In October 2004, he was appointed UPDF 2nd Division spokesman from where he was sent to the UPDF 4th Division based in Gulu as the Northern region army publicist.
In 2007, Capt. Magezi was appointed as the spokesman for the government peace delegation to negotiate with the LRA in Juba, Southern Sudan, a post he held until the Garamba assignment.
Other commanders in the ‘Lightning Thunder’ operation include Lt. Col. Victor Twesigye, the operations logistics officer, Lt. Col. Joseph Balikuddembe, operations officer, Lt. Col. John Byuma, the Commander of 309 Brigade, Lt. Col. Kanyesigye, the commander of 301 brigade but based in Koboko, Lt. Col. Hassan Kimbowa, 409 brigade based in Arua and Maj. Noel Mwesigye, the commander of the First commando battalion, which is under the Special forces.
Others include, Maj. Richard Otto, an Intelligence officer, Maj. Paul Muwonge, Intelligence Officer, Capt. Godfrey Musoba, the Contingent Political Commissar.
Most of the officers are war veterans.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/UPDF_commanders_behind_Operation_Lightning_Thunder_77161.shtml
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