The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has appointed Maj. Gen. Richard Otto as the new Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security (CDIS) of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
The changes, which take immediate effect, were announced on Wednesday evening.
Maj. Gen. Otto, who has been serving as the Commander of the Mountain Infantry Division based in Fort Portal, replaces Maj. Gen. James Birungi, who will now assume command of the Mountain Division.
According to a statement by Col. Chris Magezi, the Acting Director of Defence Public Information, the Mountain Division Commander also serves as the Joint Task Force Commander of UPDF troops under Operation Shujaa, which is currently conducting offensive operations against Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
“The UPDF fraternity congratulates the General Officers on their new appointments and wishes them good luck in their future endeavors,” Col. Magezi said.
Maj. Gen. Otto brings to the intelligence docket extensive operational experience, having previously led UPDF’s 3rd Division in Moroto and served as Uganda’s Defence Attaché in Kinshasa.
He also served as the UPDF contingent commander in Somalia between 2019 and 2020. Prior to that, he represented Uganda in IGAD, facilitating the peace process in South Sudan, and served as commander of the 3rd Division in Moroto.
He also led the UPDF contingent in the Central African Republic as part of the African Union Regional Task Force (AU-RTF), the regional counter-offensive against the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). At one time, he served as the Contingent Commander of the UPDF units that defeated the LRA in the Central African Republic.
Maj. Gen. James Birungi, who now heads to Fort Portal to take charge of the Mountain Division, has held several key positions in the UPDF, including Chief of Military Intelligence and Commander of the elite Special Forces Command.
