Lt. Gen James Mugira is a lawyer by profession with a first class honours Degree in Law from Makerere University, a postgraduate diploma in legal practice from LDC, Master of Laws in International Business Law from the famous University of Manchester and Master of Arts in International Affairs from Legon University in Ghana.
Mugira was born 24th January, 1964. He is a son to Mzee Wilson and Marjorie Kaguhangire. He grew up in Rushere Nyabushozi and attended Rushere Primary School where he completed the primary level in 1977 as a top student.
In 1978, he joined Ntare School in Mbarara where he spent six years of both ordinary and advanced level education.
In October 1984, he applied and was admitted at Makerere University to pursue a bachelor of Laws degree.
Due to the political instability during the Obote II regime, Mugira abandoned his University education in 1985 and joined the NRA to participate in the liberation struggle. Four years later in 1989, NRM granted study leave to all Makerere University students that were interested in continuing with their studies.
James Mugira resumed school and the then Lieutenant graduated in March 1992 with a first class honour’s degree in law becoming one of the very few lawyers to attain such a fate. He proceeded to the Law Development center (LDC) to pursue a one year postgraduate diploma in law and he graduated in 1993 with a high distinction.
In the same year he got a scholarship to study a master of laws degree in International Business Law at the famed University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. Upon graduation in 1994, Mugira was enrolled as an advocate of the high court of Uganda and subordinate courts thereto. In 1995, he was appointed as a Private Secretary to H.E Yoweri Museveni.
General James Mugira has attended a number of military courses including the Cadre Development course in 1986, Officer’s Basic Intelligence Course in 1987 and a Company Commanders Course at the famous Monduli Military Academy in Tanzania in 1998.
In 1999, Brig. James Mugira having actively participated in the negotiations and the drafting of the Lusaka Cease Fire Agreement, he was appointed by the president as the head of the Uganda Team on the Joint Military Commission, a body that was created under the Lusaka Cease Fire Agreement to oversee its implementation
At the rank of a Major, he was appointed the Deputy Chief of Military Intelligence. In 2002, he was nominated to attend a one-year senior command course at the Ghana Armed Forces command in Accra Ghana. It is during this period that he pursued yet another Masters Degree in International Affairs at Legon University in Ghana.
In 2004, the then Lt. Col. James Mugira and deputy CMI was sent for an International Intelligence Directors course at the defence intelligence and security center, Chick sands in the United Kingdom and in 2005, he did another military intelligence course at the Joint Military Intelligence College in Washington DC, USA and after he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was later in the same year promoted to the rank of full Colonel and was appointed the commander of the UPDF Armoured Brigade based in Masaka where he served for 3 years until 2008.
He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier the same year and appointed the Chief of Military Intelligence. Mugira served as the head of CMI for 3 years until the end of 2011 when he was appointed the Managing Director of the only defence industry- Luwero Industries.
In 2015 he was appointed the Managing Director of National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), a commercial outfit of the military.
Under his leadership, NEC has diversified into various business namely; construction, engineering, farming, medical, manufacturing etc.
In his military career, he has served as a member of different forums including the historical UPDF High Command, the High Command, the Defence Forces Council and various other forums in the East African Community.
Gen James Mugira is a proud recipient of various awards and medals including the Luwero Triangle Medal, the Independence Medal and the African Union Medal.