Parliament has today evaluated the capabilities of Brigadier Ronnie Balya, Uganda’s Ambassador designate to Juba, South Sudan who is set to replace Maj Gen Robert Rusoke.
Balya who served as the deputy director-general of the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) since 2006 before taking the helm in 2010, was last month replaced by a little-known retired Col. Kaka Bagyenda, an army veteran who was among soldiers that fought alongside President Museveni in the 1981-86 bush war which brought the latter to power.
If cleared, Brig. Balya will head a Juba Mission at the time when Uganda has been accused of again sending its soldiers up north and seeking to impose an external “trusteeship” government on South Sudan as a means to try to end a three-year ethnic civil war and potential genocide in the world’s youngest nation.
WHO IS BALYA
Balya, born 1961 in Kabarole District, joined the National Resistance Army in 1985. He served initially as a District Internal Security Officer (DISO) in Northern Uganda and Western Uganda. In 1997, Brig. Balya was moved to headquarters where he served in various capacities like Director of the ISO inspectorate, Director analysis and Director Technical Intelligence before consquently being appointed deputy director general ISO in 2006.
On July 27, 2010, Balya was appointed director general of ISO, replacing Amos Mukumbi, on January 24, 2017, the much-feared soldier was fired from the same position by President Museveni.
