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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 27009, member: 2262"] The Uganda People's Defence Forces recently named Major Bilal Katamba as the acting deputy defense public information officer. He stepped into the position after Colonel Deo Asiimwe Akiiki became military assistant to Chief of Defence Forces General Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Colonel Akiiki encouraged journalists to support Katamba as he began working alongside his senior officer, Acting Major General Felix Kulayigye. Katamba brings extensive experience from previous roles across several military divisions. Before his appointment, Major Katamba served as spokesperson for both the UPDF Mountain Division and Shujaa Operations against Allied Democratic Forces rebels operating from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since November 2021, when Ugandan forces began their campaign against ADF fighters, Katamba regularly communicated details about successful air strikes and infantry missions targeting these terrorist groups. Despite these military efforts, ADF rebels continued attacking Ugandan civilians, including a brutal assault at the Mpondwe border in Kasese District that killed over 50 people, among them 40 students. Katamba previously represented Ugandan forces as the UPDF contingent spokesperson during operations in Somalia approximately two years ago. Earlier in his career, he handled communications for the UPDF First Division headquarters at Kakiri until Major Charles Kabona replaced him in that position. During his time with the First Division, Katamba spoke candidly about human rights violations committed by Local Defence Unit personnel throughout the COVID-19 lockdown period when security forces shot and severely beat numerous civilians. He assured the public that LDU members involved in these brutal actions would face charges through the Unit Disciplinary Court system. Many officers were subsequently prosecuted for their misconduct. Military officials believe Katamba can leverage his broad experience from domestic and international operations to communicate UPDF activities throughout Uganda and beyond effectively. His direct knowledge of combat operations, combined with his previous media experience, makes him well-suited for this new communications leadership role. [/QUOTE]

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