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Akansasira Junior Victor, A Writer and Researcher, 0702969211, vj.akansasira@gmail.com
In the architecture of national security, the most consequential figures are often the least visible. They operate without spectacle, write no slogans, and seek no spotlight. Yet when history takes attendance, their footprints are unmistakable.
As Shakespeare writes in Twelfth Night, “Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” That timeless reflection aptly captures the life and service of Col. Chris Sseruyange Ddamulira, a man whose professional journey has largely unfolded behind the curtain of intelligence work, far from public acclaim.
Col. Ddamulira’s story is rooted in sacrifice and liberation history. He is the son of the late Vitali Ddamulira from Nakaseke District, a cradle of Uganda’s liberation struggle. Vitali Ddamulira his father was among the original supporters of the liberation and contributed to the struggle in the Luwero Triangle. He was killed by Obote’s soldiers under the command of Bazilio Okello, and his body was never recovered or buried – an enduring scar in the family’s history. After the war, H.E. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni took the headship of the family and educated Col. Ddamulira and his siblings, notably Dr. Ssengonzi Ddamulira Edward and other siblings who now works in Statehouse and other government agencies. Col. Ddamulira just after the loss of his father, he was installed as the heir marking the beginning of a generational commitment to national service.
His journey in the UPDF began in 1988 when he was first deployed to the Directorate of Military Intelligence, then known as DMI Bassima in Mengo. There, he worked under Lt. Col. Byemaro alongside the now President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, who was also serving in DMI at the time. Those formative years in military intelligence shaped his discipline and operational mindset. After several years in intelligence, he was deployed to northern Uganda, where he served for many years in operations against the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), gaining extensive field experience in counter-insurgency and security stabilization.In the early 2000s, he was deployed as Head of External Intelligence at the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), where he served for many years. His work in external intelligence required strategic coordination, discretion, and deep analytical competence.
Later, he was appointed Military Assistant to General Angina, who was the Chief of Staff of Land Forces. Even when Gen. Angina was promoted to Deputy Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), they continued working together, a testament to the trust and professional confidence placed in him.Between 2000 and 2021, he served as Director of Counter Intelligence at CMI. In that capacity, he handled complex and sensitive assignments critical to national security.Under his intelligence stewardship, multiple high-risk and high-level investigations were undertaken, including cases involving siphoning of funds, logistics abuse, development forgery, impersonation rings, and terrorism-related threats.
His approach has consistently been described by peers as methodical, evidence-driven, and mission-first—shielding institutional resources while reinforcing internal accountability systems. His work strengthened what military professionals term command and staff hygiene at strategic, operational, and tactical levels.In 2023, Col. Ddamulira was appointed Defence Attaché to the United Arab Emirates in Saudi Arabia. However, the deployment was later canceled, and he was instead assigned as Director of Intelligence and Security at the Special Forces Command (SFC), where he currently serves.
Hailing from Nakaseke District, he is widely regarded within professional security circles as a meticulous and incorruptible officer. As Director of Security and Intelligence at SFC, he has built a career defined by operational discipline, institutional vigilance, and firm anti-corruption enforcement.Beyond the uniform, those who have interacted with him describe a grounded and principled officer.
I was personally introduced to him through Maj. Gen. BD Mugisha, Commander SFC, who granted me an appointment at the SFC Headquarters in Entebbe—an encounter I consider a dream come true. He stands out as measured, candid, and word-bound. He does not speak much, but combines firmness of duty with personal humility. His service posture remains strictly professional and national in character, focused on safeguarding Uganda’s security interests and strategic institutions while maintaining peace and stability without partisan engagement.
As such a trusted officer, he exemplifies the intelligence professional who works quietly in the background, always investigating, rarely visible, yet deeply consequential.The 45th Tarehe Sita celebrations held in Kabale District in 2026 brought his silent service into national focus. During the ceremony, Col. Chris Sseruyange Ddamulira, Director of Intelligence at SFC, was decorated with the Diamond Jubilee Medal. According to UBC TV YouTube coverage of Tarehe Sita 2026, the award recognized distinguished and sustained service to Uganda’s security architecture, particularly in the complex and sensitive intelligence domain. The Kabale decoration also illuminated a broader family legacy of sacrifice and public duty.
His brother, Dr. Ssengonzi Ddamulira Edward, has been active in strengthening and reviving National Resistance Movement (NRM) structures in Nakaseke District through mobilisation and grassroots engagement. Though operating in different spheres—security and civic mobilisation—the two brothers represent parallel tracks of service within clear institutional boundaries.The Diamond Jubilee Medal awarded to Col. Chris Sseruyange Ddamulira during the 45th Tarehe Sita celebrations thus stands as more than a ceremonial citation. It is a state acknowledgment of silent excellence—of intelligence work done without applause, of corruption confronted without theatrics, and of loyalty practiced without announcement. For Nakaseke District, it is both pride and proof that patriotism still produces results. For young officers and aspiring public servants, it is a reminder that in the republic’s ledger, even the quiet watchman is eventually called to the podium.
