Maj Gen Richard Otto Replaces Maj Gen Dick Olum as Operation Shujaa Commander

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has appointed Maj Gen Richard Otto as the new Commander of Mountain Division and Operation Shujaa.

He replaces Maj Gen Dick Olum who is headed to the South Sudan Stabilisation Mechanism.

In November 2021, Uganda and DR Congo signed a Memorandum of Understanding to conduct a joint military operation code-named “Operation Shujaa” against the ADF in Eastern DR Congo. This followed escalated attacks by the rebels in both countries in 2021.

Gen Olum had replaced Lt Gen Kayanja Muhanga as Operation Shujaa commander in October 2022.

Major General Richard Otto has served as the chairperson of South Sudan Stabilisation Mechanism. He previously served as the commanding officer of the third army division of the UPDF, based in Moroto. He was appointed to the position in May 2017.

He had also served as the commander of the UPDF contingent in the Central African Republic, as part of the African Union Regional Task Force (AU-RTF), the regional counter-offensive against the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).