President Museveni has appointed Brig Gen Robert Freeman Mugabe as the new chairperson of the Makindye-based army court. He replaces Lt Gen Andrew Gutti whose term of office expired on June 9, 2022, and is headed for retirement at the end of the year.
Promoted in April 2021 from colonel to brigadier, Mugabe is currently the adjutant general at Headquarters Bombo where he has been since 2020. He also served as the Air Defense Division administrative officer and division operations & training officer in the same unit prior to his appointment as adjutant general.
In a July 12 message seen by URN, Museveni also appointed 24 other members of the army court and renewed the contracts of four members who were under Gutti’s leadership. The other members are Col Joseph Ecelare Okalebo, Lt Col Sam Ntungura Ntungura, Maj Angella Catherine Laker, Capt Lucy Nicole Etoroi, Capt Abdu Basajjabala, and warrant officer one, Oyar Boris Mark.
Those on reserve are Bri Gen Ronald Solomon Bigirwa, Col Benard Tumwesigyire, Col David Emmanuel Muhanguzi, Col David Ociti Kidega, Lt Col Patrick Matovu, Lt Col Sebastian Bossa, Lt Col David Baguma, Maj Stephen Etumidde, Maj Cyprian Sande Magezi, Maj Jubilee Omax Denis, Capt Grace Mbabazi, Capt Christine Sayuni and warrant officer 1 Robert Nyarare.
Those maintained from the old team include Col John Bizimana, who returns as the secretary/registrar to the General Court Martial whereas Lt Col Raphael Mugisha and Capt Ambroz Guma have been maintained as prosecutors and Kamanda Silas Mutungi as defense counsel. Also maintained in his position is Col Richard Tukacungurwa as the judge advocate.
“The president and commander in chief of the UPDF approved and duly signed the appointment and convening orders of the new court-martial members and its reserves and the message was recorded in our military messages yesterday Tuesday 12th July 2022”, a source said.
It’s not yet known when the new team will take over the office and resume business at the court-martial where works had stalled for more than a month. But sources say that it will require most of those appointed to first hand over the offices they are currently occupying before taking over new offices.
It is also the first time that the president has dropped more than 50 per cent of the old members of the court and replaced them with new ones.