Former Chief of Defence Forces and Minister of State for Trade, Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi has been lined up for retirement in July 2027.
In a document seen by Eagle Online, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has announced the retirement of 429 officers, including high-profile leaders such as General Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, Lieutenant General Sam Okiding, and Lieutenant General Sam Kavuma.
Among the retirees, Mbadi is the only four-star general. Five (5) Lieutenant Generals, three (3) Major Generals, sixteen (16) Brigadier Generals, 33 Colonels, 55 Lieutenant Colonels, 81 Majors, 132 Lieutenants, and 102 Captains.
The retirement is scheduled to take place in July 20127.
Who is Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi?
General Wilson Mbadi, born in Kasese District on June 6, 1962, rose through the ranks to become Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) from June 2021 until March 2024. Educated at Sandhurst where he graduated top of his class, Mbadi also holds a Master’s in Strategic Studies from the Air War College in Alabama and a Diploma from the University of Nairobi
Before his tenure as CDF, he served as Joint Chief of Staff and then Deputy Chief of Defence Forces. A calm and detail-oriented leader, he commanded key UPDF reforms, including the rollout of the UPDF Establishment 2021 structure, which modernised Uganda’s military administration.
Lieutenant General Sam Okiding, currently Deputy CDF, will also retire in the 2027 cohort. He previously commanded forces in Somalia under the African Union and has been instrumental in personnel oversight and organisational transformation at home. At recent retirement events, Okiding urged his colleagues to view the next phase as an extension of their service, encouraging wise investment and continued involvement in national life.
Lieutenant General Sam Kavuma, known for his leadership in Operation Wealth Creation and as head of UPDF missions in Somalia, will also join the retirees. Kavuma has been a career military officer since the late 1980s and has held multiple command roles, including leadership of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) since March 2024.
The retirement follows UPDF protocol, offering exit packages and ceremonial send-offs. At previous handovers, President Museveni personally addressed retiring officers, urging them to invest their packages wisely and reassuring them that their dismissal marks a transition, not a termination of service.
UPDF and the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs Spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Felix Kulaigye told Eagle Online, “Retirement is part of the norm within UPDF. So, we wish our comrades the best as they retire,” he said.
Retiring Generals include
General Wilson Mabasu Mbadi
Lt. Gen Jack Bagonza Bakasumba
Lt. Gen Joseph Masanyufu
Lt. Gen Sam Okiding
Lt. Gen Sam Kavuma
Lt. Gen Charles Lutaaya
Maj. Gen Ambrose K Musinguzi
Maj. Gen Samuel Kawagga
Maj. Gen Lucky Kidega
Brig. Gen Sam Kiwanuka
Brig. Gen Alex Opolot Olupot
Brig. Gen Caesar Innocent Bahwezi
Brig. Gen Michael Kibuye
Brig Gen James Kaija
Brig. Gen Mwanje Ssekiranda
Brig. Gen Robert Freeman Mugabe
Brig. Gen Chris Ogwal
Brig. Gen Kefa Nangeesa
Brig Gen Henry Isoke
Brig. Gen David Tweheyo
Brig. Gen Richard Kiremire
Brig Gen Emmanuel Kazahura
Brig. Gen Geoffrey Karugaba
Brig Gen Emmanuel Tibayungwa Shillingi
Brig. Gen Moses Wandera
Brig Gen James Muhwezi
