General Kulayigye Returns to Duty

Major General Felix Kulayigye has officially resumed his duties as Director of Defence Public Information, ending a near-three-month absence that had seen Colonel Chris Magezi act in his place.

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) confirmed Kulayigye’s return through a brief but definitive statement issued by Col. Magezi on Friday.

“The substantive Director of Defence Public Information (DDPI), Major General Felix Kulayigye, has resumed official duties after a short period away on leave," he said.

"I have ceased to act accordingly. The general public and media stakeholders are hereby informed,” Magezi wrote in his capacity as Military Assistant to the Chief of Defence Forces.

Kulayigye’s absence, which the army had initially described as leave, was understood by sources within the military to have been due to health-related reasons.

In March, the UPDF's Chief of Joint Staff, Maj Gen Jack Bakasumba, appointed Col. Magezi to oversee the Directorate of Defence Public Information in an acting capacity while the senior officer recuperated.

Col. Magezi had concurrently continued his substantive role as Military Assistant to Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces.

While the UPDF did not provide further detail about the nature of Gen Kulayigye’s medical condition, the general’s return marks a resumption of continuity in the military’s public affairs leadership — a role he has held since 2022 following earlier service in the same position during his rise through the ranks.

Known for his direct communication style and historical background in military political education, Kulayigye remains a prominent spokesperson of the UPDF and has occasionally been a public face during periods of crisis and policy defence.

His reinstatement also signals the end of Col. Magezi’s short-lived but high-profile interim tenure, during which he maintained regular media briefings and official updates on military operations and engagements.

No further changes have been announced within the Defence Spokesperson’s office, and UPDF headquarters have not commented on whether Gen Kulayigye’s health had any long-term implications for his future in the role.