President Yoweri K Museveni who is the Commander In Chief of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces has sacked Brig Leopold Kyanda who was the UPDF Chief of Staff, Land Forces.
The decision to sack the highly decorated army officer came after the recent illegal arms deal in the army which pinpointed Brig. Kyanda to be behind all the misery.
It’s alleged that Kyanda collaborated with conmen led by a one Sam Ssimbwa to defraud Polish arms contractors whom they told that they needed arms worth millions of dollars.
The conmen who were located at the Military Headquarters in Bombo told the Polish contractors to send money for paperwork which, Ssimbwa and friends diverted for their own good, then switched off their phones.
On learning about that nasty fraud, the Police’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) arrested and detained Ssimbwa ,the main suspect but due to the pressurized calls from Brig. Kyanda, SIU commander Mark Odong was forced to release Ssimbwa.
However, Brig. Kyanda refuted the allegations saying that he has never called Odong and also he doesn’t know about Ssimbwa.
Then President Museveni was forced to put up a private investigation unit which later exposed Kyanda.
UPDF spokesperson, Paddy Ankunda confirmed the firing of Brig. Kyanda.
PROFILING KYANDA:
Leopold Eric Kyanda is a Brigadier in the Uganda People’s Defence Force. He was serving as the Chief of Staff of the Land Forces in the UPDF.
He was appointed to that position in May 2013, replacing Major General Charles Angina, who was promoted to Lieutenant General and appointed Deputy Chief of Defence Forces of Uganda (DCDF)
In 1994, Leo Kyanda was a driver to Lieutenant General Ivan Koreta, at that time, a Brigadier.
He later joined the then Presidential Guard Brigade (PGB), which today is part of the Special Forces Group (SFG).
He rose in its ranks and eventually became the Commander of the PGB. Following that, he became the Commandant of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI).
From there, he was assigned to the Ugandan Embassy in Washington, DC, as the Military Attaché, serving in that capacity for two years.
On his return to Uganda, he was appointed Chief of Personnel and Administration in the UPDF. From there, he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier
It is not clear as to why the Brigadier has been sent to Kimaka after being sacked.
