KAMPALA, UGANDA: Former Spymaster, Gen. David Sejusa, and ex-security minister Gen. Elly Tumwine are among the 34 generals who will officially retire from UPDF next week on Monday, DailyExpress can confirm.
Also on the list of retiring officers include; Lt Gen John Mugume, Lt Gen Proscovia Nalweyiso, Lt Gen Andrew Gutti, Maj Gen Stephen Kashaka, Maj Gen Phinehas Katirima, Maj Gen Elly Kayanja, Maj Gen Michael Ondoga, Maj Gen Gavas Mugyenyi and Brig Stephen Kwiringira among others.
According to a notice issued by the UPDF retirement committee, the official ceremony for retiring generals will be held at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Mbuya starting tomorrow Monday, May 16, and Tuesday, May 17.
“This is to remind the generals scheduled to retire with batch 12 that the exercise will take place on Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 at the UPDF/Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs headquarters in Mbuya in the Chief of Personnel and Administration boardroom,” reads in part of a notice seen by this website.
According to sources at UPDF, the retirement of the top generals who served in the 1980 LRA war precedes an expected major promotion of senior officers in the coming weeks with a big transition of army leadership from aged generals to the youths.
Some of the generals lined up for retirement were supposed to retire in 2019, but the army’s Commissions and Promotions Board decided to delay the retirement process, citing a raft of reasons, including the fact that some were still representing the institution in Parliament while others, the UPDF declined to retire them, for ‘political’ reasons.
It is estimated that by the end of 2023, the army would have retired over 2,000 officers.
What is the Retirement Process?
According to the UPDF Conditions and Terms of Service, it is illegal to keep army officers in active service once they clock a certain age but are not promoted to the next rank.
For example, it’s illegal to have an officer at the rank of captain or major, aged 50, in active service, therefore, at the age of 40, if the csptain is not promoted to major, the army must retire the officer.
Section 28, Cap 307 of the terms of service specifies at which age an officer should be promoted to another rank if not be retired from the service but according to army sources, the UPDF continues to flout a section of its own regulations.
From the rank of Lieutenant to Captain, one can apply for early retirement at 40 years, while a Major can leave service at 45. A Lieutenant Colonel in the UPDF can retire at 47, while a Colonel’s retirement age is 51.
From the rank of 2nd Lieutenant to General, an officer can rightly apply for retirement after 14 years of service, while the lower ranks can retire after nine years.
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