Uganda opposition demands removal of army from South Sudan, Somalia


The EastAfrican, 1 day ago.
By Solomon Arinaitwe and Nelson Wesonga
Posted Friday, June 20 2014 at 11:44
UPDF soldiers man Juba International Airport. The Leader of Opposition
in Parliament, Mr Wafula Oguttu, told the Ugandan government to
withdraw the country's army from Somalia and South Sudan. Photo/FILE
IN SUMMARY
Uganda has more than 7,000 soldiers in Somalia. They have been there
since 2007 -having gone in as Uganda's contribution to African Union
Mission in Somali partly to prop-up the Somali Transitional
Government, which was being threatened by al-Shabaab militants
determined to establish an Islamic state in the country. UPDF also in
December last year sent troops to South Sudan to prop-up President
Salva Kiir's government in the wake of an onslaught from his former
vice-president-turned rebel leader Riek Machar.
The Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Mr Wafula Oguttu, told the
government to withdraw the country's army from Somalia and South
Sudan.
Making his maiden reaction as LoP to President Museveni's
State-of-the-Nation address delivered last week, Mr Oguttu observed
that Uganda's Army cannot be "a permanent substitute for a Somali
national army" even though the work it has done in the troubled Horn
of Africa country is commendable. He also said Uganda's soldiers are
dying in "a senseless war in South Sudan".
Demanding that government provides a timeline for troop pull-out, Mr
Oguttu said UPDF soldiers are engaged in a power struggle between the
leaders of South Sudan.
"We want to know whether President Museveni would welcome a similar
open intervention by another country giving material support to the
side against him in the ongoing internal NRM power struggle. That is
exactly what his intervention in South Sudan amounts to," Mr Oguttu
said.
"Why should Uganda take sides with one protagonist in what is
essentially an intra SPLM struggle, an intervention that is proving to
be a stumbling block in the peace negotiations between the belligerent
sides," he added.
He said the continued stay of UPDF in the two countries is
"detrimental" to the security of Uganda. Besides, he added, "after all
these years, the UPDF troops in Somalia should have trained the
Somalis to protect themselves".
"Ugandans want to know the timetable for bringing back our troops from
Somalia," Mr Oguttu said.
UPDF presence in Somalia
Uganda has more than 7,000 soldiers in Somalia. They have been there
since 2007 - having gone in as Uganda's contribution to African Union
Mission in Somali partly to prop-up the Somali Transitional
Government, which was being threatened by al-Shabaab militants
determined to establish an Islamic state in the country.
And, in March, a special unit called the United Nations Guard Unit to
which Uganda is contributing 410 soldiers was constituted to guard UN
bases, giving an indication that Uganda might not be planning to
withdraw its troops soon.
ALSO READ: Uganda waits for UN advice on troops in CAR
"We do not think they (UPDF) should still be in that country (Somalia)
because by now, they should have trained more than enough Somali
soldiers to protect their own country. If Somalis do not want to fight
for themselves, then it does not make sense for our soldiers to stay
for so long whereby they may eventually be regarded as a sort of
occupation army," Mr Oguttu said.
Three years after the UPDF moved into Somalia, al Shabaab claimed
responsibility for the 2010 twin terror bombings which claimed nearly
80 people. The group continues to threaten more attacks.
With the ongoing trial of Brig Michael Ondoga, a former Ugandan
contingent commander in Somalia, over command and operational failures
on mission, Mr Oguttu also wondered "whether there is capacity to
properly investigate activities so far away in order to avoid
miscarriage of justice?"
In South Sudan
The UPDF also in December last year sent troops to South Sudan to
prop-up President Salva Kiir's government in the wake of an onslaught
from his former vice-president-turned rebel leader Riek Machar.
No updates have since been provided about the time-line for withdrawal
or financial implications of the war, as demanded by the Opposition
and promised by the government.
READ: Cost of UPDF presence in South Sudan begins to emerge
However, in a telephone interview, Col Paddy Ankunda, the UPDF
spokesman, accused the Opposition of "politicking".
Col Ankunda said withdrawing soldiers from the ongoing missions in
Somalia and South Sudan was not 'urgent'.
"For South Sudan, there is an Igad force which is supposed to deploy
and the UPDF will withdraw. In Somalia, it is an AU mission and we
cannot act unilaterally. There are mechanisms to be put in place. The
AU is supposed to stabilise the situation and hand over to the UN,"
Col Ankunda said.
Daily Monitor
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