GULU – The Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, on Monday paid a courtesy visit to the Paramount Chief of Acholi, Rwot David Onen Acana II, during a tour of Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) operations in northern Uganda.
Gen. Muhoozi, who was accompanied by Maj. Gen. Felix Busizoori of the 4th Division in Gulu and Maj. Gen. Keith Katungi of the 5th Division in Acholi Pii, met the traditional leader at his palace in Gulu.
The visit aimed to assess regional security and deepen cooperation between the army and cultural institutions.
The two leaders held a private meeting where they discussed the importance of collaboration to foster peace, reconciliation, and socio-economic progress in the post-conflict Acholi sub-region.
Rwot Acana commended the UPDF’s role in stabilizing the region after decades of insecurity caused by the Lord’s Resistance Army insurgency.
“The presence of the UPDF has been instrumental in sustaining the calm we enjoy today. We welcome continued collaboration to develop our communities,” Rwot Acana said.
Gen. Muhoozi reaffirmed the UPDF’s commitment to protecting civilians and supporting government development programmes across the north.
“We value the partnership with traditional leadership. Stability must go hand-in-hand with development if we are to build lasting peace,” he said.
The visit comes at a time when the UPDF is intensifying its operations along Uganda’s borders with South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, areas previously affected by armed group movements and cross-border insecurity.
The engagement marked a symbolic show of unity between military leadership and cultural authorities, as both sides agreed to work closely in addressing the lingering effects of war and boosting livelihoods in the Acholi region.