KAMPALA – President Museveni, who is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces on Thursday made several changes in the army leadership.
The changes also saw the Special Forces Command (SFC), an elite unit of the UPDF responsible for the security of the President of Uganda and members of the first family get new leadership as Brig Gen Peter Candia was appointed the acting commander whereas Brig Felix Busizoori was appointed his deputy.
Brig Gen Peter Candia
Prior to the Thursday appointment, Brig Candia served as the Special Forces Command deputy commander.
Having completed his Officer Cadet in 1999 from the School of Infantry in Jinja, the man born in Madi- Okolo in West Nile has attended several other courses that make him fit for the new position.
Candia did a Protective Operation, Defensive Marksmanship and Tactical Shooting Training course in 1999, a Tank Crew course at the Armoured Warfare Training School in Kalama, a year later in 2000.
He also attended the Tank Platoon Command Course in 2001, a Tank Company Command Course, 2002 and a Tank Battalion Command Course in 2003, all at the Armoured Warfare Training School in Kalama.
Brig Candia also attended an Instructors Certification Course at the Luweero Industries in 2006, VIP protection training by South African Police Service in 2007, Training of Trainers Course at the National Leadership Institute, Kyankwanzi in 2008, Political Education and Leadership Development Course at National Leadership Institute, Kyankwanzi in 2008 and a course at the Senior Command and Staff College, Kimaka between 2013 and 2014.
The new Special Forces Commander attended the Multinational Force Headquarter Command and Staff Training Course in Kenya in 2015, before a two-year course in Military Security of the State in Russia between 2015 and 2017.
Appointments
Brig Candia served as an Infantry Platoon Commander until 2004 when he was elevated to a Tank Platoon Commander and a year later in 2005, he became a Tank Squadron Commander.
In 2006, Candia became a Tank Battalion procurement officer, a Tank Battalion maintenance officer between 2006 and 2008, Tank Battalion operations and training officer between 2009 and 2011 as well as a Tank Battalion commanding officer between 2011 and 2013.
In 2014, Brig Candia was elevated to become the Director for strategy and plans in the Special Forces Command before he became the commander for Special Forces Group between 2017 and 2019.
In 2019, Brig Candia was appointed the deputy commander in the Special Forces Command, a position he has held until Thursday when he was elevated as the SFC overall commander.
Brig Felix Busizoori
Having joined the UPDF in 1997, Busizoori completed the recruit course in 1998, and a year later in 1999, he completed the Cadet course.
The new deputy SFC commander did a VIP course in 2000, a Political Education and leadership Development Course at NALI, Kyankwanzi in 2006, and a Company Commander’s Course in Jinja, the same year.
Brig Felix Busizoori is the new SFC deputy commander.
In 2007, Brig Busizoori did a Junior Command and Staff Course in Jinja as well as an Intelligence Course, the same year before the Senior Command and Staff Course at Kimaka between 2014 and 2015 and later another course at the United States Army War College between 2017 and 2018.
Appointments
Having started as an Infantry Platoon Commander in 1999, Brig Busizoori served in the position until 2001 before being elevated to become the second in command for Special Company, a position he served in between 2001 and 2003.
In 2003, he was appointed Officer Commanding Special Company, a position he served in until 2006 when he became an Officer Commanding Detail Company until 2011.
In 2011, Busizoori became the Commanding Officer Marines until 2012 when he became the Director Plans and Strategy, a position he served in for one year until 2013 when he was appointed the Director Operations until 2018.
In 2018, he was appointed the Director Personnel and Administration in the Special Forces Command, a position he has held until last week when he was appointed the deputy SFC commander.