More calls for Somalia deployment

Ugandan and Burundian troops in Somalia are over stretched and have limited resources, Defence Minister Crispus Kiyonga reported to MPs on Thursday, putting a fresh demand for reinforcement from the African Union.

Appearing before Parliament’s Defence Committee discussing the Ministry of Defence’s budget, Dr Kiyonga said as a matter of urgency, partner states in the AU should send troops to Somalia to reinforce the AU peacekeeping mission.

“We can do more if other members of the AU come on board to play their role,” he said. His comments came before Lt Gen. Katumba Wamala commander of the Land Forces reported that at least five other African countries had sent army officers to Somalia before deciding whether to commit troops to the Horn of Africa nation.

“Officers from Nigeria, Zambia, Senegal and Ghana are working at the force headquarters which is an indication that other countries are interested,” said Gen. Wamala. “We think very soon we’ll see infantry troops because now those officers have been there, they have worked with us for more than six months and I think they have seen that the mission can be done.”
AU peacekeepers have been at the receiving end of fresh attacks from insurgents of the Islamist militia group, al Shabaab with reports indicating that two UPDF soldiers had been killed on Wednesday.

“We would love to see more forces in Somalia. That is our immediate call. Let other countries respond and send troops because what we need as of now is more troops and more participation by other African Union countries,” Gen. Wamala added.
He was briefing MPs about the situation in Somalia, an assignment that falls under his docket. There are about 6,300 AU troops protecting key sites in Somalia with calls apparent for their mandate to be widened to include peace enforcement. It is a subject that will be up for discussion at the on-going AU summit here in Kampala.

Speaking about the Kampala July 11 bomb blasts, Gen. Wamala said there was a possibility the attacks could have been planned to coincide with direct attacks on the AU forces in Mogadishu. “I do not know whether it was by coincidence but by the time of the July 11 bomb attacks, our forces were also getting direct attacks from the al Shabaab,” he said.

He also dismissed reports that the al Shabaab had captured new ground in the northern parts of Mogadishu. Defending the AU mission in Somalia, Gen Wamala linked the al Shabaab to the rebel outfit, Allied Democratic Forces and Osama Bin Laden’s terror outfit, Al-Qaeda.

“Some of the ADF camps in Congo have been attacked and most of their commanders killed. The terrorists might have sneaked in to combine with the Al-Qaeda and the al Shabaab to cause such a heinous attack,” he said.

ADF threat
Dr Kiyonga said the ADF have been trained and are receiving supplies from the Al- Qaeda. However, Makindye West MP Hussien Kyanjo voiced the opposition’s concern over the UPDF presence in Somalia. “I have never been convinced by the decision Uganda took to take our troops to Somalia. What is the explanation of other countries not taking their troops there and what exactly is our mandate,” Mr Kyanjo asked.

South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana pleaded to sent troops to the war torn Somalia but have done so. Recently Intergovernmental Authority on Development agreed to send 20,000 more troops to Mogadishu.