Dick Olum

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Major General Richard Prit Olum, commonly known as Dick Olum, is a Ugandan military officer in the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF). He was born in 1970 in Zombo District, West Nile, Uganda, and joined the UPDF in 1990. As of May 13, 2024, he serves as the commander of the South Sudan Stabilization Mechanism, an observer force to monitor peace agreements.

Previously, Olum led UPDF forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as part of Operation Shujaa and commanded the UPDF Mountain Division based in Fort Portal. He was appointed to command the Mountain Division on October 12, 2022, replacing Lt Gen Kayanja Muhanga, who became Commander of the UPDF Land Forces. From October 2017 to October 2022, he was Uganda’s military attaché in Kinshasa, DR Congo. Earlier, from April 2015 to October 2017, he commanded the UPDF's 3rd Division in Moroto.

Olum also led the UPDF contingent to Somalia as part of AMISOM, taking command in September 2013 and serving until November 2014. In 2012, he was chosen as the first commander of the African Union force created to pursue Joseph Kony. Earlier in his career, he was commandant of the Uganda Junior Staff College (appointed in 2006) and, in 2010, became chief instructor at the Uganda Military Academy in Kabamba. He is married and has two children.