The death
of Brigadier General Stephen Kiggundu due to electrocution in his
bathroom at his residence in Entebbe, Wakiso district, on March 31,
2024, brings the number of Ugandan army generals that have died over the
last eight years to at least 13, creating a loophole in the military
strategy of the country’s defence forces and bringing to the fore the
huge financial implication when the army loses such key personnel.
There are many more army officers who
have died over the last 15 years, some of whom – battle-hardened and
with bullet scars to show - have met their deaths under flimsy
circumstances, raising questions about the safety of such valuable
assets.
The death
of Kiggundu, the deputy Airforce commander, resurrects memories of the
loss of individuals such as Major General James Kazini, General Aronda
Nyakirima, Lt General Paul Lokech, Brigadier Noble Mayombo, among
others, whose deaths left more questions than answers.
This not only represents a personal
tragedy for their families and loved ones but also deals a severe blow
to Uganda’s military prowess and strategic capabilities. Similarly, the
former Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Lt General Paul
Lokech’s fatal accident while fixing a light bulb at home, which later
led to a blood clot, and Brigadier General Kiggundu’s suspected
electrocution raise serious questions about the safety and security
protocols in place for these high-ranking officers, even within the
confines of their own residences.
For
example, Brigadier General Victor Twesigye died at his home in
Nyarushanje, Rukungiri district on July 2, 2020 after he slid in his
bathroom at his home. Major General James Kazini, the former army
commander, for instance, met his demise at the hands of his girlfriend,
Lydia Draru, in a domestic altercation at Draru’s home, while General
Aronda Nyakirima was found dead aboard an Emirates commercial flight.
Other army generals who have died over
the last eight years include Gen Elly Tumwiine, Major General Levi,
Karuhanga, Maj Gen Kasirye Ggwanga, Lt General Pecos Kutesa, Maj General
Eric Mukasa, Maj Gen Benon Biraaro, and Maj General Stephen Rwabantu.
The responsibility for ensuring the
safety and well-being of these military leaders lies not only with their
immediate families but also with the Ugandan government and military
establishment, some experts say. As custodians of national security and
guardians of the country’s defense capabilities, some would argue that
it is imperative that adequate measures are taken to protect these
valuable assets both on and off the battlefield.
The army spokesman of the. Uganda
People’s Defence Force, Felix Kulaigye, said that Kiggundu, the first
pilot of Uganda’s Russian-made fleet of the Su-30MK2 fighter jets, will
be missed dearly.
“For us, he has been near and dear to us. We are going to miss him certainly,” he said.
There are just not many people like
Kiggundu within the UPDF. Trained at the United States Command Staff
College, China’s Military School, and in the Czech Republic, Kiggundu,
at just 46 years old, had a wealth of experience under his belt. Not
only had he been deployed to hunt down insurgents of the Lord’s
Resistance Army in the jungles of Garamba, he was also part of the
military campaign assigned to wipe out the Allied Democratic Forces
rebels in western Uganda.
Brigadier Noble Mayombo, for instance,
was not only a high-ranking officer but also a respected lawyer and
influential figure in Ugandan politics, the impact of his demise
extending beyond the military realm. His untimely death robbed the
country of a potential future leader and deprived the nation of his
visionary leadership.
Then there
was Lokech, nicknamed the Lion of Mogadishu due to his brazen pursuit of
the Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabaab group, whose death left the country in
shock. Trained in Russia, he was seen as one of Uganda’s bravest
military strategists.
The loss of such resourceful soldiers at
a time when Uganda is striving to professionalize its armed forces
carries significant costs. Wilson Mbadi, the former chief of defence
forces, once gave a picture of how much it costs to train an army
officer. While commissioning the national defence college in Buikwe in
2022, he said that Uganda spends $69,000 per person per year to train in
Kenya.
In Tanzania, the government has been
paying $55,000 per person per year. In the next financial year, which
starts in July 2024, the ministry of Defence, plans to spend Shs 3.8bn
in military training, a drop from the Shs 4 billion in the 2023/2024
budget. However, the budget is expected to go up to Shs 5.2 billion by
the financial year 2026/2027, according to ministry of Finance, Planning
and Economic Development.
While most of this money is spent on
training selected army staff within Uganda, a smaller group is sent
abroad due to the financial cost of it. For example, in 2023, out of
25,211 personnel that underwent training, 130 were trained abroad and
25,081 were trained in the country, according to the ministry of
Finance.
The training courses included: basic Art
Field course, Cadet course, Platoon Commanders’ course, Passed Staff
course, Senior Command Staff course, Junior Command course, Marine Capt
Career course, Technical Intelligence course, Non-Commissioned Officers’
course, Armour Crew course, VVIP, Counter-terrorism, basic course for
LDPs among others.
A total of Shs. 2.9 billion was spent on
training aids, instructor and trainee’s allowances, the ministry noted.
That means that losing an army general comes with huge financial
implications. Odrek Rwabogo, the son of in law to President Museveni,
while paying tribute to Lt. General Pecos Kutesa, and referring to his
military training, said: “It is not really how strong you are; it is not
the weapons you carry. It is how smart you are; how strategic you are
in terms of the objective.”
President Museveni, also reflecting on Kutesa’s life, said: “Dying at 65, was too early for such a useful person.”
Dying young while being a useful person
should create room for an honest conversation about the loss of these
highly skilled and young officers and the need for greater vigilance and
protection of Uganda’s most precious assets.
Ultimately, the loss of these highly
skilled and young officers underscores the need for greater vigilance
and protection of Uganda’s most precious assets.
Failure to address these concerns not
only jeopardizes the safety and security of individual officers but also
undermines the country’s long-term military readiness and strategic
capabilities. Uganda cannot afford to lose any more of its finest
soldiers to preventable tragedies.
