President Museveni has replaced UPDF’s Chief of Military Intelligence Major Gen. Abel Kandiho with former Special Forces Command, Major Gen James Birungi.
Maj Gen Kandiho has been posted to South Sudan.
One of Rwandan media, KT Press, reported the news as:
“Uganda removes intelligence head at the centre of #Rwanda– #Uganda row. Maj Gen Abel Kandiho, who was the head of Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), was replaced by Maj. Gen James Birungi while Kandiho has been posted to South Sudan as a Uganda’s Special Envoy.”
The changes take place days after Lands Forces commander Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba returned from Kigali where he paid a call on Rwandan leader, Paul Kagame.
Gen Kainerugaba however, congratulated his officers on their new assignments.
“I congratulate both Maj.General Abel Kandiho and Maj.General James Birungi on their new appointments. Hongera sana.” He tweeted.
The meeting between Kainerugaba and Kagame was well publicised by both Ugandan and Rwandan media. The meeting was said to be cordial.
Uganda and Rwanda have been at loggerheads since the security reshuffle which saw among others Gen Kale Kayihura and Gen Henry Tumukunde fired from their respective dockets of Police and Security ministry.
The appointment of Kandiho to CMI saw a sweep of suspected agents of terror or instability in the country which Rwanda interpreted as harassment of Rwandan nationals. President Kagame also accused Uganda of hosting Rwanda rebels.
The Kigali meeting between Gen Kainerugaba and President Kagame, was expected to cause changes in Kampala – much as the changes were not expected this soon.
Kandiho has been on Kagame’s list of officers in the Ugandan military he deems unfriendly to the regime in Kigali. It remains to be seen who else in Uganda or Rwanda will pay for the bad relations between the countries – and if indeed the borders will be opened.
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