President Museveni also the Commander in Chief of the armed forces has appointed Brigadier General Richard Tukachungurwa as the new boss of the General Court Martial, one of the most feared and influential justice bodies in the country.
The announcement, made on 25 November 2025, instantly elevated Tukachungurwa from his previous role as the Court Martial’s Judge Advocate to the man now steering the entire tribunal.
The President made the decision under the UPDF Act Sections 192, 193 and 195, acting on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission. The appointment letter, addressed to CDF Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, confirms a full-blown overhaul of Uganda’s military courts.
Powerful new faces have also been drafted onto the Court Martial bench, including top-ranking Colonels like Wankandya Simon Tusah, Asha Patra, Kangwamu Fredrick, and Mugisha Raphael, together with Lt Col Igambi Mohammedie Nasser and a lineup of Majors.
State House didn’t stop there. Two new commanders have taken over the Division Court Martials: Lt Col Drani Epalu David for the Fourth Division, and Lt Col Mulyanti Yaqoub Hassan for the Special Forces Group.
The sweeping appointments take effect immediately, signalling a new era aimed at boosting discipline, clearing backlogged cases, and tightening the teeth of the military justice system.
Brigadier General Richard Tukachungurwa is a senior Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officer and the current Chairperson of the General Court Martial (GCM), appointed on 25 November 2025. His rise places him at the top of Uganda’s military justice system, giving him authority over trials involving soldiers and, under the amended UPDF Act, civilians accused of certain security-related offences.
Tukachungurwa built his career primarily within the UPDF’s judicial arm. Before his appointment as head of the General Court Martial, he served as the Judge Advocate of the GCM, the legal officer responsible for guiding court-martial proceedings, interpreting the law, and advising on rulings.
In this capacity, he became involved in several high visibility and politically sensitive cases, which later shaped both his reputation and public perception of the military courts.
One of the most notable episodes occurred during the 2025 treason proceedings involving Dr. Kizza Besigye. During a heated session, defence lawyer Eron Kiiza was obstructed from accessing the lawyer’s bench, protested, and was immediately arrested in court. Tukachungurwa, as Judge Advocate, presided over the moment and confirmed Kiiza’s conviction for contempt.
He has also appeared in civilian courts on behalf of the military, including a 2020 case where he was listed as the respondent in a legal challenge touching on the High Court’s supervisory powers over the GCM.
Earlier in 2025, a Supreme Court ruling had restricted military courts from trying civilians, but amendments to the UPDF Act later restored this power under defined circumstances. His leadership therefore begins at a time when the military court system has regained expanded authority, a position that attracts both attention and scrutiny.
Given his past handling of sensitive cases, many analysts expect the GCM to remain central in trials involving alleged security offences, political unrest, or illegal possession of military equipment.