PROFILE: Who Exactly is Brig Gen Charity Bainabaabo, the Newly Appointed Deputy SFC Commandant?

President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni, the Commander-in-Chief of armed forces, has appointed Charity Bainabaabo as the new Deputy Commandant of the elite Special Forces Command (SFC). 

Gen Museveni first elevated Bainabaabo from the rank of Colonel (Col) to Brigadier General (Brig Gen) before promoting her to the role of deputy SFC commandant.

The position of SFC deputy commandant fell vacant after Gen Museveni appointed Brig Felix Busizoori, who was holding this position, as acting commandant of the unit responsible for the security of the president and other members of the first family.

Brig Busizoori replaced Brig Peter Chandia who was sent for a course at the Uganda National Defence College.

Brig Gen Bainabaabo was one of the three UPDF officers promoted and appointed to different positions, sparking complaints on tribalism since all are from one region. (Read Story Here).

She is not new to SFC: she has been serving as the commander of Presidential Police Guard (PPG), which is under SFC.

Bainabaabo also served as the the aide-de-camp to Janet Kataaha Museveni, Uganda’s first lady and minister of education and sports.

As PPG commander, Bainabaabo is also responsible for Ms Museveni’s security.

Bainabaabo has in the past one year, she has been promoted twice.

In April 2021, she was promoted from the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) to that of Colonel (Col).

Exactly a year later, she has been promoted to the rank of Brigadier General.

Besides being a military officer, Bainabaabo is also a politician.

She is one of the UPDF representatives (MPs) in Uganda’s 11th Parliament.

Bainabaabo was one of the female UPDF candidates that garnered the highest number of votes during the army’s election to choose representatives for the 11th Parliament.

She is said to be so loyal to members of the first family, particularly the president, the first lady and first son Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the commander of UPDF land forces.

Some political observers following the ‘Muhoozi Project succession’ politics bundle her among the young military officers that either trained with the first son or were recruited by him.