The Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has commended the Minister of Works and Transport Gen Edward Katumba Wamala for his leadership both as army commander and minister.
Gen Kainerugaba revealed that he was lucky to have Gen Katumba as his commander in the UPDF, describing the Works Minister as a father figure.
"I was privileged to have a Commander like @GenWamala. He was like a father to us in the military. Brave, strong, and a fair man. Now he is doing very well as Minister of @MoWT_Uganda," Gen Kainerugaba tweeted on Monday morning.
Gen Katumba Wamala was the Chief of Defence Forces from May 2013 until January 2017 when he was replaced by Gen David Muhoozi. Gen Katumba had earlier served as the Inspector General of Police. He is now the Minister of Works and Transport, a position he assumed in 2019 after serving as state minister in the same ministry for two years.
Relatedly, Gen Kainerugaba also used his twitter to remember the day he was involved in the battle against SPLA/IO reels.
"On the 14th of January 2014, a UPDF taskforce under the operational command of General Kayanja Muhanga and the overall command of General Muhoozi Rubakuba (CDF) and myself defeated the SPLA/IO rebels who were marching on Juba. We thank our two Presidents for guiding us," Gen Kainerugaba tweeted.
Beyond keeping peace and stability in Uganda, the UPDF is credited for exporting peace to other African countries including South Sudan, Central African Republic and Somalia among others.
It should be remembered that President Yoweri Museveni ordered the deployment of UPDF troops in Somalia, making it the first force to enter Somalia when the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) began in 2007.
With much of the country under the control of al-Shabab Islamist militants at the time, it was considered one of the most dangerous missions that a soldier could embark on.
Since then, most of the country has been pacified thanks to the bravery and Pan-African spirit of Uganda's leadership and troops.
