Presidential Guard Brigade (Uganda)
Elite brigade of the army responsible for protecting the Ugandan president
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Presidential Guards Brigade (PGB) is one of the special forces units of the Uganda People's Defence Force charged with counterterrorism, counter-revolutionary, and protecting the President of Uganda. It has been described as President Yoweri Museveni's "army within an army".[1]
| Presidential Guards Brigade | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1996 – present |
| Country |  Uganda |
| Allegiance |  President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni |
| Branch | Ugandan Special Forces Command |
| Type | Special forces |
| Size | Brigade |
| Headquarters | Kampala |
| Nickname | PGB |
Overview
It began in 1996 as the Presidential Protection Unit (PPU) and expanded to a full-fledged brigade on 21 February 2003.[1] As such, the commander at the time, Captain Muhoozi Kainerugaba, President Museveni's son, was promoted to a major.[2] In 2010, it was placed under Ugandan Special Forces Command (USFC).[3]
The 10,000-strong brigade has personnel pulled from western Uganda and trained to be loyal to the president first and foremost.[1] The unit is responsible for counter-revolutionary, irregular warfare operations, preventing terrorist attacks in the country, protecting the President of Uganda, providing security in the Lake Albert region, and conducting special operations assigned.[3]