PROFILE: Who Exactly is Major General Richard Otto, Uganda’s New Military Intelligence Chief?

Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has appointed Major General Richard Otto the new Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security (CDIS), replacing Maj Gen James Birungi in a reshuffle that saw the two senior military officers at the rank of major general swap roles.

So, who exactly is Major General Richard Otto, the new Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security (CDIS) – or what many knew as the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI)?

Until his appointment on April 16 as the new Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security (CDIS), Major General Otto was the commander of the UPDF Mountain Division as well as the Commander of Operation Shujaa.

Operation Shujaa is a joint military operation by the Ugandan army, the UPDF and  Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo (FARDC – the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo). Operation Shujaa is meant to fight Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels, a  terrorist group operating in Eastern DR Congo, and sometimes behind terror attacks in Uganda.

He also previously served as the chairperson of Security Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) in South Sudan, which monitors the implementation of terms of treaties between groups at the centre of the conflict in South Sudan.

Major Richard Otto had also served as the commanding officer of the third army division of the UPDF in Moroto.

He also previously commanded the UPDF contingent in the Central African Republic. The contingent was serving under the African Union Regional Task Force (AU-RTF) whose aim was to obliterate the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebellion.

His other command roles included commander of UPDF Amisom contingent in Somalia.

Born in 1968, Major General Richard Otto is aged 57. On the battlefield, he is said to be a silent yet fearless and brilliant warrior and commander.

You can also read the profile of Maj Gen James Birungi, the dropped CMI boss that Otto has replaced HERE.

For comments on this report, story tips or sponsored content, send us a Whatsapp message on +256 705 690 819 or E-mail us on pearltimesug@gmail.com).

Please Follow our Whatsapp Channel for More Stories Here