Maj Gen Otto Assumes Top Intelligence Position Amidst Calls For Effective Leadership

Lt Gen Kayanja Muhanga, Commander of the Land Force of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), has called on senior military officers to uphold the core values of leadership, trust, and responsibility in fulfilling their duties.

He delivered the message during a ceremony marking the handover of the office of Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security to Maj Gen Richard Otto, who succeeds Maj Gen James Birungi. The event was held at the Defence Intelligence and Security Headquarters in Mbuya.

Emphasising the doctrine of mission command, Lt Gen Muhanga highlighted five essential pillars: leadership, trust, decision-making, welfare of subordinates, and decentralisation. He urged officers to internalise these principles to enhance command effectiveness.
“Leadership is not merely a position. It is a responsibility that demands sound decision-making, emotional intelligence, and moral courage,” he said. “You can have intelligence, you can have supplies, but without leadership, it all falls apart.”

Maj Gen Otto described his appointment as a profound honour and a reflection of the trust earned through years of service in high-stakes roles. “This is not the first time I’ve been entrusted with sensitive positions. Each one of them has been a test of trust and leadership,” he said, citing his leadership of UPDF missions in the Central African Republic and later in Somalia in 2020.

He pledged to build on the foundation laid by his predecessor, address emerging and ongoing security threats, and safeguard national stability, particularly in the lead-up to the next general elections.

Before this appointment, Maj Gen Otto served as Commander of the Mountain Division and Operation Shujaa.

Outgoing Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security, Maj Gen James Birungi, expressed appreciation to President Yoweri Museveni and Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba for the opportunity to serve, and welcomed his next assignment as Commander of the Mountain Infantry Division.

He extended his congratulations to Maj Gen Otto and assured him of continued support during the transition.
“As you settle in, my lines of communication remain open should you require any support,” he said.

The ceremony was attended by senior officers from the Land Force, Air Force, Special Forces Command, and Defence Intelligence.