Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has appointed Brig Gen Asaph Mweteise Nyakikuru as the acting commander of the Special Forces Command.
The appointment announced on Monday takes immediate effect and comes as the current commander Maj Gen David Mugisha prepares to leave Uganda for a military course abroad.
Brig Gen Nyakikuru has also been granted the acting rank of major general.
The announcement was made by Col Chris Magezi the acting director of defence public information at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs.
Maj Gen Mugisha will remain in the position as he prepares to attend a National Defence College course abroad in the coming months according to Chris Magezi.
He described Maj Gen Mugisha’s departure as part of professional military development and thanked him for his service during his tenure as an SFC commander.
Brig Gen Nyakikuru is not new to the Special Forces Command.
He previously served as the deputy commander of SFC placing him within the formation’s senior leadership before today’s appointment.
In 2024, he spoke publicly in his capacity as deputy commander at a training event for officers involved in the protection of VIPs. He emphasised the importance of planning and adaptability during military operations.
He also represented the SFC commander during an April 2025 ceremony where officers were decorated following their promotion.
At the time, he spoke about the UPDF’s peacekeeping operations in Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan and praised the military’s professional training programmes.
His appointment therefore gives him direct responsibility for an organisation in which he has already held a senior command role.
SFC is a specialised component of the UPDF responsible for carrying out specialised missions and operations.
Its headquarters are in Entebbe, Wakiso District, and it has bases and training facilities in different parts of Uganda.
According to the Ministry of Defence, SFC personnel have also taken part in regional operations, including missions in South Sudan and Somalia.
The formation has evolved significantly since the late 1980s.
Ministry of Defence says the Presidential Protection Unit was expanded over time as Uganda faced armed insurgencies and other security challenges. It became the Special Forces Group in 2010 before being transformed into the Special Forces Command in 2012.
Maj Gen David Mugisha is leaving the SFC command to prepare for further military education at a National Defence College outside Uganda.
He took command of the SFC while holding the rank of brigadier general and was subsequently promoted to major general.
During his tenure, he regularly presided over ceremonies involving the training and promotion of SFC personnel.
In March 2024, for example, he addressed newly promoted SFC officers at the command’s headquarters in Entebbe, urging them to remain focused and professional in their military careers.
The appointment comes at a time when Uganda’s military is undergoing wider changes in its senior leadership.
SFC has particular importance because of its role in specialised military operations and security duties.
Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who made the appointment in his capacity as Chief of Defence Forces has overseen a number of senior-level changes and promotions within the UPDF since taking over the top military post.
Nyakikuru’s elevation means the SFC will continue to be led by an officer already familiar with its operations and internal structure.
The new acting commander now faces the task of maintaining the command’s operational readiness while overseeing its personnel and specialized missions.
