Gen Biraaro retires, Tumukunde Waits The army has finally retired Maj Gen Benon Biraaro, one of the several Bush War generals who are understood to have long applied to leave the military. Military spokesman Paddy Ankunda yesterday confirmed Gen Biraaro, a former commandant of the Senior Staff College Kimaka, had been granted permission to retire – the only senior army officer above the rank of major allowed to leave, according to military sources. Confirmed “It is true … what he now needs is an official ceremony and a certificate discharging him officially. He had applied for retirement and the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) did grant it,” Lt Col Ankunda said. The development leaves other Bush War senior officers, including Brig Henry Tumukunde and Col Fred Bogere, who have long expressed their wish to retire from the army, still serving in the UPDF. Brig Tumukunde said in a 2005 radio talkshow for which he was prosecuted and convicted to a caution by the General Court Martial – that he had long applied to leave the army but had been held a prisoner. It is understood that Col Bogere has since 2005 sought to leave the army after he fell out with the army leadership in 2005 when he abstained from the parliamentary vote on lifting of term limits. Nine out of the 10 UPDF representativesvoted to lift the presidential term limits which was seen as move to favour President Museveni to continue running for the presidency. More than 2,000 soldiers have reportedly applied to leave the army, and their applications have been pending before the army leadership. But Col Ankunda said yesterday the 2,000 had responded to recent guidelines for those officers who were 50 year of age but below the rank of major to apply for retirement. “I don’t know whether senior people like Col Bogere, Brig Tumukunde re-applied,” he said. Two months ago, the army issued new retirement guidelines, telling officers aged 50 at the ranks of major and below to voluntarily apply for retirement. The new communication was released by the Chief of Personnel and Administration,Brig Leopold Kyanda, on June 21. However, it was questioned by soldiers at higher ranks why the new proposal targets only junior, not senior officers who have for long been pushing for retirement without success. A big number of senior army officers have applied for retirement but the UPDF Promotions and Retirement board has not approved their requests, causing suspicion that government is involuntarily holding these officers who are seen to be anti-regime. The UPDF has been criticised for playing to President Museveni’s tunes by holding senior officers who have served their time in the army in fear that they would join opposition against the Commander-in-Chief or run against him during elections. Dr Kizza Besigye, who has run against Mr Museveni in the previous three elections announced his presidential intentions immediately he was retired from the army in 2000, and the President has since been accused of seeking to check military officers political ambitions by holding them in the army. Most of the senior military officers who have since retired – including current FDC president Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu, Maj John Kazoora, Col Amanya Mushega have since joined the opposition.
Posted on: Wed, 11 Sep 2013 17:36:45 +0000
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