KAMPALA, UGANDA: President Yoweri Museveni has approved the retirement of former Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura and 109 other UPDF officers from active service of the Ugandan army.
The development was confirmed by the UPDF spokesperson Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye in a statement on Monday afternoon.
“H.E the President of the Republic of Uganda and Commander in chief of the Uganda People’s Defence Fores has approved the retirement of 110 officers and senior officers from the UPDF,” army spokesperson, Brig Felix Kuayigye said in a statement on Monday afternoon.
The list of the 110 retiring officers includes 11 Generals and 99 Senior Officers from the rank of Major to Colonel.
Among the notable generals who will retire on August 31, 2023, in batch 13A include: RO/00513 Gen Kale Kayihura, RO/01567 Lt Gen James Nakibus Lakara, RO/00072 Maj Gen Samuel Wasswa, Mutesasira, RO/01461 Maj Gen Joseph Arocha, RO/02000 Maj Gen David K Wakaalo, RO/01380 Brig Gen Austine Kasatwooki Kamanyire and RO/01435 Brig Gen Stephen Oluka.
Others are; RO/02855 Brig Gen Frank Katende Kyambadde, RO/02909 Brig Gen Emmanuel Kwihangana, RO/07175 Brig Gen Wilson Muhabuzi, and RO/07698 Brig Gen Ham Atwoki Kaija.
According to the army statement from the UPDF spokesperson, batch 13B will accommodate others not catered for in this batch.
“We appreciate the services of the Officers to their country while in active service and wish them good luck in their retirement,” Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye said.
The development means the charges against Gen Kayihura in the army court have been dropped and is among the 11 generals to retire from the army next month.
Kayihura’s woes
Gen Kayihura, 67 was charged with failure to protect war material by issuing arms to unauthorised persons including Boda Boda 2010 members led by Abdallah Kitatta between 2010 and 2018 were slapped against Kayihura.
The army also accused him of aiding and abetting the kidnapping, and repatriating Rwandan exiles and refugees and Ugandan citizens to Rwanda between 2012 and 2016, charges he denied.
The charges were slapped against him three months after being dropped as Inspector General of Police.
Request for Pardon
During the campaigns for the 2021 general election, the NRM leaders in Kisoro district where Kayihura hails from asked President Museveni to pardon their son so that he could be redeployed.
The president in response said he would work on the request.
The First Son and Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations (SPO) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba on his visit to Kisoro recently took a picture with Gen Kayihura and pleaded with President Museveni to pardon and “rehabilitate him”.
With the charges still ongoing in the court-martial, it remains to be seen what happens between now and the time of the official retirement.
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