General Katumba Wamala
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has appointed retired Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala as his special envoy to the Middle East, assigning the veteran military officer a new role focused on strengthening Uganda’s security and diplomatic relations in the region.
Gen. Kainerugaba announced the appointment on Friday, August 28, 2026, through his official X account. In the announcement, he said Gen. Katumba’s duties as Minister of Public Service had been placed on hold to allow him to take up the new assignment.
“From today, I am appointing General Katumba Wamala as our envoy to the Middle East. His ministerial position is on halt. He will report to me from now on,” Kainerugaba said.
The arrangement gives the retired general a direct reporting line to the CDF, bypassing the conventional ministerial structure. Although Gen. Kainerugaba did not specify which Middle Eastern countries Gen. Katumba will cover or provide details about the full scope of his mandate, the appointment signals an effort to deploy his extensive military and national security experience toward Uganda’s foreign policy objectives.
The assignment comes only days after Gen. Katumba formally retired from the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) on August 20, ending a remarkable 47-year military career. One of Uganda’s most decorated officers, Katumba rose through the ranks to occupy some of the country’s most influential security positions.
His military record includes service as Commander of the Land Forces and later as Chief of Defence Forces. He also served as Inspector General of Police, giving him experience across both military and civilian security institutions. His long career has placed him at the centre of Uganda’s national security affairs for decades.
After leaving active military service, Gen. Katumba transitioned into politics and government administration. He served as a state minister before becoming Minister of Works and Transport and later taking charge of the Public Service ministry.
His latest deployment therefore extends a career that has moved between military leadership, policing and Cabinet. By assigning him to the Middle East, Gen. Kainerugaba appears to be drawing on that broad experience at a time when Uganda is seeking to deepen its diplomatic and security partnerships beyond the region.
The announcement also attracted a lighter moment on social media. Gen. Kainerugaba joked about videos of Gen. Katumba dancing joyfully during his State House retirement ceremony, suggesting that the veteran officer’s apparent celebration made sense now that his new high-profile assignment had been revealed.
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