I’ve left CMI without any bad record - Maj Gen Abel Kandiho

Maj. Gen James Birungi, the new chief of military intelligence has taken over office from his predecessor, Maj Gen Abel Kandiho, who was posted to South Sudan as the head of security monitoring mechanism.

The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Wilson Mbandi who presided over the function at the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs headquarters at Mbuya, Kampala, yesterday emphasized the need for discipline among the high ranking officers and urged them to desist from any form of criminality and corruption.

According to him, discipline is the cornerstone of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).

“New assignments are signs of confidence and trust that the Commander In Chief, President Museveni has in the outgoing and incoming chiefs,” he said.

Maj Gen Kandiho dismissed what he described as rumours circulating around social media about why he was reassigned.

“I want to clear this; this is a normal transfer and I have left without any bad record. Thank you Mr President for the new appointment and I will perform to the best of my knowledge and ability," Maj Gen Kandiho said.

Maj Gen Birungi commended what he said the good work done by Gen Kandiho and pledged to build on that for the betterment of the institution.

He also lauded President Museveni and UPDF leadership for giving him the opportunity and trusting him with the new appointment.

Maj Gen Birungi promised to serve the institution wholeheartedly with the supervision of his superiors.

The handover ceremony was attended by the General Officer Commanding Reserve Forces Lt Gen Charles Otema, Commander Air Forces Lt Gen Charles Lutaaya, Joint Chief of Staff Maj Gen Leopold Kyanda, Chief Political Commissar Maj Gen Henry Masiko, Chief of Legal Services, Brig Gen Godard Busingye, Commander SFC, Brig Gen Felix Busizori and other members of staff of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence.

The removal of Abel Kandiho from the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) followed the heels of a highly-billed visit to Rwanda by Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the UPDF Land Forces commander.

Kigali had been citing and demanding the removal of Maj Gen Kandiho. It claimed that under his watch, CMI operatives engaged in human rights abuses, including kidnap, torture and imprisonment of hundreds of Rwandans in Uganda. This is one of the issues that led to the countries’ falling out.

Who is Gen. Kandiho
Major General Abel Kandiho, who has worked at the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence for the bigger part of his military career as an officer and later heading it, also worked at the Ugandan High Commission in Kigali in the early 2000s.
Previously, before May 2014, he served as the Commander of Makindye Military Barracks – the headquarters of the UPDF Military Police.

On May 30, 2014, he was replaced in that position by Colonel Emmanuel Kanyesigye. Kandiho stayed on as Deputy Commander.
In December 2021, the United States placed sanctions on Kandiho over his alleged involvement in cases of human rights violations, which he denied.