Samuel Turyagyenda is a Ugandan

police officer A police officer (also called policeman or policewoman, cop, officer or constable) is a Warrant (law), warranted law employee of a police, police force. In most countries, ''police officer'' is a generic term not specifying a particular rank. ...

, professional pilot and

army officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an Military, armed force or Uniformed services, uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer (NCO), or a warra ...

. He served as the commander of the Air Force in the

Uganda People's Defence Force The Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF), previously known as the National Resistance Army, is the armed forces of Uganda. From 2007 to 2011, the International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated the UPDF had a total strength of 40,000–4 ...

(UPDF). He was appointed to that position in May 2013, having been Deputy Commander of the Uganda Air Force, immediately prior to his appointment. He retired in July 2019.

Background and training

Samuel Turyagyenda was born in

Rukungiri District Rukungiri District is a district in the Western Region of Uganda. The town of Rukungiri is the site of the district headquarters. Location The district is bordered by Lake Edward to the North West, Rubirizi District to the northeast, Mitooma Di ...

in 1952. From 1973 until 1976, he studied in the former

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

, graduating with a Diploma in Commercial Civil Aviation, while being a member of the

Uganda Police Force The Uganda Police Force is the national police force of Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democ ...

. In 1986, he studied in

Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...

, taking a ''Conversion Course'' on

MI-8 The Mil Mi-8 (, NATO reporting name: Hip) is a medium twin-turbine helicopter, originally designed by the Soviet Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) in the 1960s and introduced into the Soviet Air Force in 1968. Russian production of t ...

MI-17 The Mil Mi-17 (NATO reporting name: Hip) is a Soviet-designed Russian military helicopter family introduced in 1975 (Mi-8M), continuing in production at two factories in Russia, in Kazan and Ulan-Ude. It is known as the Mi-8M series in Russia ...

helicopters. He also attended the ''Air Command and Staff Course'' at

Maxwell Air Force Base Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. ...

, in

Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama. Named for Continental Army major general Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River on the Gulf Coastal Plain. The population was 2 ...

, United States. Later, he undertook a refresher helicopter course in

Kazan Kazan; , IPA: Help:IPA/Tatar, ɑzanis the largest city and capital city, capital of Tatarstan, Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Volga and the Kazanka (river), Kazanka Rivers, covering an area of , with a population of over 1. ...

, Russia. He also attended a course on ''Commercial Rotorcraft'' in the

United States of America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ...

, in 1997. Later he attended a ''Conversion/Transition Course'' at Bell Helicopter Training College in

Hurst, Texas Hurst is a city in the United States, U.S. state of Texas located in the densely populated portion of northeastern Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County and is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. It i ...

, United States.

Military career

US Air Forces Africa Commander with UPDAF personnel at Entebbe Air Base

Samuel Turyagyenda worked as a policeman, in the

, from 1973 until 1985. In 1986, he transitioned into the

National Resistance Army The National Resistance Army (NRA) was a guerilla army and the military wing of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) that fought in the Ugandan Bush War against the government of Milton Obote, and later the government of Tito Okello. NRA wa ...

. He has served as the ''Squadron Commander of the

Helicopters'', in the

Uganda People's Defence Forces The Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF), previously known as the National Resistance Army, is the armed forces of Uganda. From 2007 to 2011, the International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated the UPDF had a total strength of 40,000–4 ...

. He then became ''Acting Director of the Uganda Air Force''. He was the ''Deputy Commander of Air Force'' at the rank of

brigadier Brigadier ( ) is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore (rank), commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several t ...

, immediately prior to his promotion to major general and appointment to his current position as Commander of the UPDF Air Force and Chief Pilot of the Presidential Helicopter.

Personal life

He is married with six children. He is of the

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

faith.

References

External links

Air Forces Africa Commander visits Ugandan Air Force
{{DEFAULTSORT:Turyagyenda, Samuel Living people 1952 births Ugandan aviators People from Rukungiri District Ugandan generals

Background and training

Military career

Personal life

See also

References

External links