Somalia, LRA operation commanders changed

Monday, July 01, 2013

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President Yoweri Museveni has made changes within the UPDF field commanders serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) as well as the AU Regional Intervention force against the LRA based in South Sudan.

In the transfers, Brig. Dick Olum who has been the overall commander of the Regional Taskforce against remnants of LRA in South Sudan and Central African Republic (CAR) moves to Somalia as the commander of the Ugandan contingent.

Brig Sam Kavuma now takes over from Brig. Olum as the Commander of the AU-authorized Regional Task Force headquartered in Yambio, South Sudan. Kavuma recently graduated from Kenya National Defence College.

Since September last year, Brig. Olum has been commander of the intervention force which includes troops from the countries affected by the LRA - South Sudan, Uganda, DR Congo and CAR.

Similarly, the UPDF has been deployed in Somalia under the African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) since January 2007 to support efforts to stabilize the war-torn Somalia.

Brig. Olum takes over from Brig. Michael Ondoga who has been the contingent commander of the deployed troops under "Uganda Battle Group Ten" (UGABAG 10) in Somalia.

Brig. Ondoga now becomes Uganda's Military Attaché at Uganda's High Commission in Kenya, replacing the late Brig. Clovis Kalyebara who passed away recently.

Brig. Peter Elwelu now becomes the commander of the UPDF 2nd infantry division based in Mbarara. Brig. Elwelu who has hitherto been the commander of the Moroto-based 3rd Division, replaces Brig. Patrick Kankiriho who died recently.

In a statement, the UPDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda said, "These appointments are a continuous process of the efforts towards professionalism of the UPDF by our Commander in Chief. We congratulate the Commanders upon their new appointments and wish them the best returns in their respective tours of duty."

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