President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, also the Commander in Chief (CIC) of the Armed Forces, has appointed Maj Gen Richard Otto as the new Commander of Mountain Division and Operation Shujaa in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), replacing Maj Gen Dick Olum.

According to Col Deo Akiiki, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Deputy Spokesperson, Maj Gen Olum, will take over Maj Gen Otto’s role of representing Uganda in the South Sudan stabilization mechanism.

“It is true that the Commander in Chief, who is also the President of the Republic of Uganda, has made changes, appointing Major General Dick Olum, while the person who has been there, Major General Richard Otto, has been appointed the new Commander of Mountain Division, and therefore, he will be the one overseeing Operation Shujaa. The appointments take immediate effect,” Col Akiiki said.

In a phone interview with Col Akiiki on Monday, May 13, 2024, he said that President Museveni made the appointments on Sunday, May 12, 2024, at around 6 p.m.

When asked why the sudden appointments were made, Col Akiiki noted that reshuffling is done routinely as the operations in the region can be tiresome.

“From Lt Gen Kayanja Muhanga, it transitioned to Maj Gen Dick Olum, and it is now transitioning to Maj Gen Richard Otto, and there are no changes so far, so normal operations continue. He will start from where Maj Gen Dick Olum stopped, and they will still continue to follow under the same grounds we are doing the operations in Congo,” he noted.

He added, “This is normal relief in operations; you can’t stay overseeing operations; it is very tiresome. It is a normal routine that usually happens with changes of command. Somebody does not operate in the same areas until he retires. So this is a normal transition.”

Roles Previously Played by Maj Gen Otto and Maj Gen Olum

During his term of representing Uganda in the South Sudan stabilization mechanism, Maj Gen Otto played a significant role in the South Sudan, and his achievements are notable within the context of efforts to address the conflict in the region.

The stabilization mechanism in South Sudan, which started in 2017, was aimed at reducing violence, ensuring basic human security, and facilitating political deal-making to establish long-term stability in the world’s youngest country.

Maj Gen Otto’s contributions involved supporting local and regional partners, overseeing the implementation of the roadmap, and fostering an environment conducive to peace-building.

Conversely, Maj Gen Olum’s leadership in Operation Shujaa started in 2022, replacing Lt Gen Kayanja Muhanga after the launch of Shujaa on November 30, 2021.

Maj. Gen. Olum has been instrumental in the military campaign aimed at eliminating terrorist groups in the Eastern DRC.

Maj Gen Olum’s achievements in Operation Shujaa include successfully leading the UPDF in combat operations, overseeing the progress of the mission, and contributing to the overall success of the campaign against terrorist groups in the region.