Uganda’s Deputy Commander of Land Forces, Maj. Gen. Francis Takirwa, has died after suffering complications related to a stroke, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has confirmed.
According to the Acting Director of Defence Public Information (DDPI), Col. Chris Magezi, Maj. Gen. Takirwa passed away on Saturday at about 6:00 a.m. at the UPDF National Referral Hospital in Mbuya.
“He died from complications of stroke. The General was initially admitted to Nakasero Hospital from December 9, 2025, until Friday, February 6, 2026, when he was referred to the UPDF facility for long-term care and management,” Col. Magezi said.
Col. Magezi added that until the time of his illness, Maj. Gen. Takirwa served as the Deputy Commander of UPDF Land Forces, headquartered in Bombo.
“We condole with his family, relatives and friends. Details of the burial arrangements will be communicated later,” he said.
Maj. Gen. Takirwa was a seasoned senior officer who served in the UPDF for more than three decades, holding several key command and staff appointments throughout his military career.
At the time of his death, he was the Deputy Commander of Land Forces.
He previously commanded the UPDF Second Division based in Mbarara, western Uganda, and also served as the army’s Chief of Education, Sports and Culture.
Between 2011 and 2012, Maj. Gen. Takirwa was part of the Ugandan contingent deployed to Somalia under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), which aimed to stabilise the country and combat al-Shabaab militants.
Born in 1965 in Mbarara District, Maj. Gen. Takirwa joined the military in the late 1980s and steadily rose through the ranks.
He undertook extensive professional military training both locally and internationally, including courses in Uganda, Tanzania, China, Egypt and South Africa.
