We need a roadmap on Somalia from AU

Indeed, it is in trying times like Uganda is currently in that a people’s resolve to unite against evil is gauged. The July 11 bombings in Kampala that have so far claimed at least 74 lives (according to police although an independent investigation by Monitor puts the death toll at 84 ), have enabled our leaders in their different capacities and persuasions to not only condemn the savage act by the terrorists, but also to think forward.
The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda, comprising of the Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox, and Adventist churches as well as Islam, has urged the government to exploit the forthcoming African Union (AU) Summit in Kampala and rally all African countries to join peacekeeping in Somalia.

It is odd that only Uganda and Burundi, out of the 53 countries in the AU, have volunteered troops to Somalia - a country that has had no functioning government since the ouster of President Siad Barre in 1991. Where are the other 51 countries? It is crucial that our government revisits the peacekeeping role with the aim to broaden not only the participation but also the scope of the peacekeepers.

At home, the security forces should urgently fix the gaps including the seemingly poor security alert system in place – believed to have enabled the bombers to accomplish their deadly mission.
Opposition leaders did not initially approve of sending our soldiers to Somalia. But their current call for a debate aimed to harmonise the voices of those for and those against UPDF deployment in Somalia, as Forum for Democratic Change leader Kizza Besigye, has proposed, should be looked into.

The bombings in Kampala demand that the Somali mission issue be discussed by all actors with a view to arriving at a durable solution. The indiscriminate bombing of people watching World Cup is a lucid proof that inclusive planning and dissemination of security-related information is a sure means to attain a reliable security.

With the AU Summit only two days away, Uganda should ensure that the Somalia issue is a key point on the agenda. It should not be another talking shop where a communiqué of sympathy to Uganda will be issued and it is back to business as usual. President Museveni should secure from the Summit concrete commitments and a workable roadmap for the Somali mission.