Background
Koreta was born in 1964 in Mbarara District.
Koreta was born in 1964 in Mbarara District.
While still in his teens, he attended military training in Mozambique as a member of FRONASA, a guerilla group led by Yoweri Museveni. He participated in the war that removed Idi Amin from power in 1979. When Museveni formed the National Resistance Army (National Rifle Association) in 1981, Ivan Koreta joined him.
During that war, referred to as the Ugandan Bush War, he became a battalion commander in the National Rifle Association. His military unit, the 13th National Rifle Association Battalion, was tasked to guard the Kampala-Gulu Highway at Matugga, during the battle to capture Kampala, the capital of Uganda, in April 1986.
He previously served as the deputy chief of defence forces (DCDF), the second-highest position in the Ugandan military. He served in that capacity from 2005 until 2013, when was replaced by Lieutenant General Charles Angina. He also concurrently served as the chairman of the General Court Martial, the second-highest military court in Uganda.
He served in that capacity between 2006 and 2009.
Over the years, since the National Rifle Association captured power and was subsequently transformed into the Uganda People"s Defence Force, Koreta has served in various roles including the following: Commander of First Division of UPDF: 1986 - 1988 (at rank of Brigadier) Deputy Director of Internal Security Organization (International Organization for Standardization): 1988 - 2001 Promoted to rank of Major General: 2001 Promoted to rank of Lieutenant General and appointed Commandant of Uganda Senior Command and Staff College at Kimaka, being the first military officer to serve in that capacity: 2004 Appointed Deputy Commander of Defence Forces in Uganda: 2005 Appointed Chairman of the General Court Martial: 2006 Appointed Ambassador to a country yet to be named: 2013 General Koreta led a Ugandan peace-keeping force to Liberia in the late 1990s. General Ivan Koreta is married with 20 children.
He is of the Anglican faith.