The Force Commander for the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), Lt. Gen. Sam Kavuma from Uganda, officially assumed duty on 28th July 2024.
Lt. Gen. Kavuma joined the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in the early 1980s and has held several senior positions leading up to his appointment as ATMIS Force Commander.
At different times in his military career, he has served as Division Commander, Deputy Air Force Commander, and Deputy Commander Land Forces in Uganda.
Prior to his appointment, he was a Parliamentarian representing the military in Uganda’s Parliament and Deputy Chief Coordinator of Uganda’s national wealth-creation programme.
Lt. Gen. Kavuma has extensive experience in peacekeeping operations, having served as commander of the Uganda contingent of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) from October 2014 to November 2016.
He also served in the Central African Republic as commander of the African Union-authorised Regional Taskforce deployed to hunt down the Lord’s Resistance Army insurgency group.
Previously, he oversaw operations in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda.
He has completed several professional training programmes, including military courses. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and Diplomacy. He has recently completed a Master’s in National Security Studies at Cavendish University in Uganda. He is a committed lecturer who has contributed significantly to military education by teaching in various military colleges and training schools throughout his career.