Brigadier General Wycliffe Keita has officially taken over as the new head of the Joint Staff Training and Doctrine Command (JS TRADOC), replacing Brig Gen Alex Olupot. The handover ceremony was held today at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MODVA) headquarters in Mbuya.
Brig Gen Olupot will now serve as the Commandant of the National Defence College, Uganda, a prestigious role in military leadership and strategy development.
The event was presided over by Maj Gen Jack Bakasumba, the Chief of Joint Staff, who emphasized the importance of training in the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF). “Training is the backbone of what we do,” he said, stressing that the UPDF will continue to support JS TRADOC to maintain high training standards across the country.
Maj Gen Bakasumba also delivered a strong message about leadership and integrity. He urged Brig Gen Keita to uphold discipline and fight against corruption. “Do not let anyone lure you into wrongdoing; it is destructive,” he warned, highlighting the need for ethical conduct in the armed forces.
In his farewell remarks, Brig Gen Olupot thanked President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who is also the Commander-in-Chief, for the trust placed in him. He also appreciated the guidance from Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba and other UPDF leaders. Looking forward, he expressed full confidence in Brig Gen Keita’s ability to lead the department successfully. “He has the capacity to take the department to greater heights,” Olupot said.
Brig Gen Keita, who previously served as the Commandant of the Uganda Military Academy in Kabamba, said he was honoured to step into the new role. “The lessons from my previous assignments will guide me. I will perform my duties with unwavering commitment,” he promised.
The ceremony was attended by other senior officers including Brig Gen James Kinalwa (Joint Staff Human Resource), Brig Gen Robert Mugabe (Joint Staff Finance), as well as other senior and junior UPDF officers.
The leadership transition at JS TRADOC marks another important step in the UPDF’s continued efforts to strengthen its training programs and maintain operational readiness.
