Katumba Wamala

General Edward Katumba Wamala, more commonly known as Katumba Wamala, is a Ugandan Army officer and former policeman. He is the Chief of Defense Forces of Uganda, the highest military rank in the Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF).

Prior to his current position, he served as Commander of Land Forces in the UPDF, between 2005 until 2013. He also served as the Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Uganda Police Force, the highest rank in that branch of Uganda's government, from 2001 until 2005. He was replaced as IGP by General Kale Kayihura. Katumba Wamala was the first active UPDF soldier to serve as the head of the Uganda Police Force.

Background
He was born on 19 November 1956 in Bweeza, Kalangala District, Ssese Islands. He is married, and is the father of one son and five daughters.

Education
Katumba holds a certificate in agriculture. In 2007 he graduated from Nkumba University with the degree of Bachelor of Arts In International Relations & Diplomacy. He also has military qualifications from the following military schools:


 * The Uganda Military Academy - At the time of his qualification, the school was located in Jinja, Jinja District, before it was moved to Kabamba in Mubende District.
 * The Tanzania Military Academy at Monduli
 * A Military Academy in the former Soviet Union (USSR)
 * The Nigerian Command and Staff College at Jaji, Kaduna State
 * The United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
 * The United States Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.

Career
Katumba Wamala was an officer in the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA), at the time the National Resistance Army (NRA) defeated the UNLA in 1986. He transitioned into the NRA without incident. Between 1999 and 2000 he was a student at the US Army War College in Carlisle, PA. Between 2000 and 2001, at the rank of Major General, he commanded the UPDF forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was appointed the Inspector General of Police in Uganda in 2001, to become the first Military officer, to serve in the highest capacity within the Uganda Police Force. He served in that capacity until 2005. He was then promoted to Lieutenant General and given the title of Commander of Land Forces, based at Bombo Military Barracks, making him one of the highest senior officers in the Ugandan military, today. In his role as Commander of the Land Forces, he was closely engaged in the peace-keeping mission that the UPDF performs in Somalia, commonly referred to as AMISOM. On Friday, 23 May 2013, he was promoted to a four-star General and appointed Chief of Defence Forces of Uganda.