Today, December 20, a UPDF radio message has announced the sacking of one of the most powerful army officers Brig Leopold Kyanda.
He has been the UPDF army chief of staff land forces, a very sensitive position he has held over a year. The Commander in Chief (CIC) of the armed forces Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has effectively replaced Kyanda with Brigadier Geoffrey Kasigazi, the radio message further announced. Kyanda has been transferred to National Defense College.
Army Publicist Lt Col Paddy Ankunda confirmed the news saying, “that’s true” but declined to divulge more details before adding that Brig Kayanda can use this as great opportunity to improve on his skills.
Kyanda ordeal stems from a bogus arms deal he orchestrated which saw a Polish Firm conned of billions of shillings. This dented the image of the Force and prompted the CIC to summon a quite a number of High Command meetings both at State House and at his upcountry home in Rwakitura.
High Command is the most powerful decision making organ of UPDF. Although details of these meetings remained scanty, a source said they would sit to among other things discuss how to restore discipline in the army.
Museveni thus directed his blue eyed boy IGP General Kale Kayihura to travel to Poland and find out the whether it is indeed true the army officer was embroiled in such botched arms deal.
Kayihura’s assignment was kept a top secret as he investigated the matter. It is highly believed that his findings indeed exposedd Kyanda as a man at the centre of the scam.
Museveni vowed to cripple down criminality and impunity in the army recently at State House.
