Saturday May 7, 2016
By John Masaba
Army spokesman Lt Col Paddy Ankunda(above) confirmed the development
Uganda is considering pulling its troops out of Somalia, which could bring to an end a nine-year peace keeping mission in the war torn country.
Since 2007 Uganda has played an important role in the war country that has resulted in the pacification of large parts of Somalia, including the capital Mogadishu. It has emerged; however, that Uganda’s army is carrying out a review of its deployment in peacekeeping missions in Somalia with a view of returning its forces back home.
Quoting sources in government today, BBC reported that the review could also affect Uganda’s troop currently stationed in Central African Republic.
It is not clear why Uganda is considering the latest move. However, quoting sources in government, BBC reported that President Yoweri Museveni had mentioned the possible end of both missions to foreign diplomats recently.
Army spokesman Lt Col Paddy Ankunda confirmed the development.
“For now Uganda, is reviewing UPDF involvement in AMISOM, [but the] decision to withdraw [has] not yet been taken,” Ankunda said on his twitter account.
He explained that a special committee has been constituted and its recommendations will be followed.
Uganda supplies more than 6,000 soldiers to the peace keeping mission in Somalia, making the country’s peace mission the largest in Africa. Other countries with peacekeeping missions in Somalia include Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti.
The Somalia peace mission is being carried out under African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM). The mission is funded by a number of international partners, including European Union and United Nations.
