The Chief of Defence Forces in the UPDF, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has made changes in the leadership of the Defence Intelligence and Security (DIS), previously known as CMI.
The changes have seen Maj Gen Richard Otto dropped and replaced by Brig Oscar Munanura.
Brig Munanura has been serving as the DIS deputy chief and has subsequently been promoted to acting Maj Gen to ensure his rank aligns with the new office.
He previously served as Assistant Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security in charge of Counter-Intelligence and was in February 2025 promoted from Colonel to Brigadier after being appointed deputy DIS chief to replace Brig Abdul Rugumayo.
Brig Munanura also previously served as Deputy General Manager of Kyoga Dynamics in Bugolobi, a subsidiary of the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), where he was involved in defence-industrial operations and strategic logistics.
He is not new to the intelligence world, having also had a big role in cross-border intelligence, especially UPDF operations in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
While previously, the appointment of such commanders was a preserve of the Commander in chief of the armed forces, the UPDF Establishment 2021 launched in 2024 formally delegates broad authority for the command, control, and administration of all elements of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces to the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).
It gave the CDF expanded powers to run daily military operations.
