The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has a new Deputy Commander for its Land Forces. Brigadier General Joseph Musoke Ssemwanga has been promoted to Major General and takes over from Major General Francis Takirwa, who passed away over the weekend at the UPDF National Referral Hospital in Mbuya.
As Deputy Commander, Maj Gen Ssemwanga becomes the second-in-command of the UPDF’s largest and most active service branch. The Land Forces manage infantry divisions, armoured units, artillery formations, and special task forces, both within Uganda and on foreign deployments.
Maj Gen Ssemwanga is known in military circles as a disciplined and field-focused officer. Unlike many career officers who spend long periods in administrative roles, his experience has been largely operational.
Before this appointment, he led the UPDF contingent under the African Union Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSOM). During this deployment, Ugandan troops were heavily involved in counter-insurgency operations, infrastructure protection, and stabilisation missions. His work there demonstrated his ability to manage multinational forces, complex logistics, and asymmetric warfare—skills highly valued in senior land force leadership.
Prior to his Somalia mission in late 2024, Maj Gen Ssemwanga commanded the UPDF 1st Infantry Division, based in Kakiri, Wakiso District. This division is a key formation responsible for protecting the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area and other strategic installations.
At Kakiri, he focused on troop readiness, training, and operational discipline, working closely with intelligence and special units to ensure internal security. His leadership earned him a reputation as a reliable and effective commander, both at home and abroad.
