*UPDF Salutes Seven Generals as They Prepare for Retirement* Crown Media East Africa | 27 May 2025 | Retirement KAMPALA, UGANDA — The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) has today honored seven of its senior officers ahead of their formal retirement, with a ceremony held at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MODVA) headquarters in Mbuya. The officers, who include some of the most decorated and experienced generals in the force, were praised for their outstanding leadership, decades of dedicated service, and unwavering commitment to national and regional security. Those documented for retirement are: Lt Gen Peter Elwelu Maj Gen Hudson Mukasa Maj Gen Francis Ben Okello Maj Gen George Igumba Brig Gen John Byuma Brig Gen Dominic Twesigomwe Brig Gen Augustine Kamyuka Kyazze Speaking during the ceremony, Maj Gen Jack Bakasumba, the UPDF Chief of Joint Staff, commended the generals for their integral role in shaping the force’s professionalism, enhancing internal structures, and contributing to successful international peacekeeping missions, especially in Somalia under AMISOM/ATMIS. “These leaders have made remarkable contributions to national and regional peace. They leave behind a legacy of patriotism, discipline, and courage,” said Maj Gen Bakasumba. He emphasized that retirement in the UPDF is not an end but a vital transition that creates room for younger officers to grow, while allowing seasoned leaders to apply their experience in other spheres of national service. He noted that upcoming amendments to the UPDF Act, 2005, are expected to enhance retirement benefits, including medical care, disability compensation, and state-recognized burials. Quoting American biochemist Betty Sullivan, he added, “There is a whole new kind of life ahead, full of experience, just waiting to happen. Some call it retirement, I call it bliss.” Lt Col Onesmus Amanya, Deputy Director for Compensation, Pensions, and Gratuity, advised the retiring officers to remain health-conscious and continue upholding the discipline that defined their military careers. The documentation ceremony was attended by MODVA officials, legal officers from the Joint Services, and representatives from the Veterans Legal Aid Clinics, underscoring the significance of the moment in the UPDF’s tradition of honoring its departing leaders with dignity and respect.