UPDF Pulls Senior Officers Out of Immigration Directorate

KAMPALA, Uganda — The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has withdrawn two of its senior officers who had been seconded to the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC), marking a significant leadership change within the country’s immigration services.

The officers recalled are Maj Gen Apollo Kasiita-Gowa, who has been serving as Director of Citizenship and Immigration Control, and Brig Gen Johnson Abaho Namanya, who has been Commissioner for Citizenship and Passport Management.

Both officers were deployed to the immigration directorate in 2021 to strengthen management and streamline operations.

Their withdrawal follows a directive reportedly issued by the Chief of Defence Forces, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who indicated that officers accused of frustrating sections of the public particularly Ugandan-Banyarwanda seeking national identification documents would be removed from their positions.

Military sources have described the move as part of routine redeployments within the UPDF, with the officers expected to report back to Defence Headquarters for reassignment.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs, under which the immigration directorate falls, acknowledged the development but indicated that a formal statement on the transition would be issued in due course.

Background to the Deployment

Maj Gen Kasiita-Gowa and Brig Gen Namanya were assigned to the immigration directorate at a time when the institution was facing mounting public criticism over passport delays, allegations of corruption involving brokers, and inefficiencies in the processing of citizenship documents.

Their deployment was widely viewed as part of broader government efforts to professionalize and stabilize service delivery within sensitive civilian institutions by leveraging military discipline and administrative structures.

During their tenure, the directorate undertook measures aimed at clearing passport backlogs and tightening border control systems.

However, challenges persisted, including overwhelming demand for travel documents and concerns from some communities regarding access to national identification and citizenship services.

Uncertainty Over ReplacementsAs of press time, no official replacements had been announced for the two positions.

Observers say the transition could influence ongoing reforms within the immigration department, especially at a time when national identification and passport services remain under close public scrutiny.

The development adds to ongoing discussions about the role of military officers in civilian institutions and the balance between security oversight and administrative independence within Uganda’s public service.

Further updates are expected once the Ministry of Internal Affairs issues a formal communication on the matter.