Gen Kainerugaba drops Rugumayo in fresh military intelligence shake-up

Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has removed Deputy Chief of Military Intelligence Col Abdul Rugumayo and appointed Brig Gen Oscar Munanura in a new reshuffle within the country’s intelligence structure, according to reports.

The army had not issued an official statement by March 27, 2026, and the reasons for Rugumayo’s removal remained unclear.

Rugumayo had served as deputy to the Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security since March 2022, after his appointment by Yoweri Museveni. During his time in the role, he worked under different intelligence chiefs, including Maj Gen James Birungi.

His replacement, Brig Gen Oscar Munanura, is a senior intelligence officer who has been serving as Assistant Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security in charge of counter-intelligence.

Munanura rose from Colonel to Brigadier General in February 2025, signalling a fast climb within the UPDF intelligence ranks.

He previously worked as Deputy General Manager at Kyoga Dynamics, a subsidiary of the National Enterprise Corporation, where he handled defence-industrial work and logistics.

The latest move forms part of wider changes within Uganda’s military intelligence leadership. In 2025, President Museveni appointed Maj Gen Richard Otto as Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security, replacing Maj Gen James Birungi, who was later redeployed to lead the Mountain Infantry Division before his arrest by the army.