The National Resistance Movement parliamentary caucus has resolved to support the deployment of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces in South Sudan. According to resolutions signed by Government Chief Whip Hamson Obua after a meeting with President Museveni at State House Entebbe, the caucus cited historical and regional ties between Uganda and South Sudan as justification for deploying the army to prevent the country from sliding back into conflict.
“Appreciating Uganda’s prompt and strategic response to deploy the UPDF in the spirit of brotherhood, solidarity, security of Uganda and the economy, recognizing the shared historical and regional ties between Uganda and South Sudan; affirming that the deployment of the UPDF is in line with Uganda’s Constitution and the UPDFAct, the NRM parliamentary caucus hereby resolves as follows; to support the deployment of the UPDF in South Sudan as a necessary intervention for peace enforcement to protect lives, restore stability, and prevent further escalation of conflict,” the resolution reads in part.
The caucus therefore resolved that they will support the proposal when it is presented in parliament to deploy the UPDF in South Sudan. The resolution mentioned that South Sudan’s president Salva Kiir Mayardit had appealed to president Museveni for, “urgent support,” following the resumption of conflict in the restive youngest country in Africa. According to the 1995 constitution of Uganda, article 210, it’s only parliament that has power to authorize the deployment of the UPDF outside Uganda’s boundaries. However, this authorization comes days after the UPDF had already been deployed in South Sudan.
Early this week, the Chief of Defense Forces, Muhoozi Kainerugaba took to his X page to declare that UPDF was already in South Sudan. Muhoozi posted a video of soldiers disembarking from a civilian aircraft carrying guns. “UPDF Commandos arriving in Juba to support South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) in the current crisis. Operation ‘Mlinzi wa Kimya’ has began.
God bless UPDF,” Muhoozi’s caption accompanying the video reads. UPDF was deployed in South Sudan in 2013 without parliamentary prior authorization to help save the government of Kiir that had nearly been overthrown by forces loyal to his then former vice President Riek Machar. While appearing in parliament, the minister of Defense Jacob Oboth Oboth denied that the UPDF had been deployed in South Sudan.
This followed a a complaint by Kira municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda about the deployment without parliamentary approval. But reacting to the minister’s statement, Chris Magezi the acting UPDF spokesperson said that Oboth Oboth has no knolwdge of the working of the army. That his only job is to represent them in parliament.
For weeks now, tension has been building between forces loyal to President Kiir and those of his first vice president Riek Machar who heads the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition. Last week, the white army militia that is said to be loyal to Machar overrun the town of Nasir in the north of the country bordering Sudan killing many people including a South Sudan People’s Defence Forces commander in the region.
There has also been an uptick in fighting in the towns of Malakal and Bentiu both occupied mainly by the ethnic Nuer; the tribe from which Machar comes from. Fighting has also been reported in the Bar el Ghazal region which is mainly home to Kiir’s Dinka tribe. There has also been a number of arrests of Machar supporters in the Capital Juba without giving any reasons. Machar himself is said to be in unannounced house arrest. If this simmering conflict is to escalate beyond its current levels, this will be the third time that South Sudan has witnessed large scale fighting since its independence in 2011.
The first fallout out between Machar and Kiir happened in 2013 which resulted in the death of thousands of people and displacement million others witin and without South Sudan. The conflict that lasted two years was resolved by the 2015 peace agreement which led to Machar being appointed as First Vice President. However, this peace deal unraveled resulting into renewed fighting in 2016 that yet again killed thousands of people and displaced million others.
This particular fighting was resolved through the revitalized peace agreement of 2018 that has tried to hold amidst tensions. South Sudan was scheduled to hold elections this year which would have been the first ever since it got its independence in 2011. However, the transitional government extended them for another two years arguing that they had not yet worked on the modalities that would have enabled them to be free and fair. These included ending all fighting and also uniting all the fighting forces.
The international community including IGAD, the United Nations, African Union, countries with influence such as the United States of America and South Sudan have called for the peaceful resolution of the disagreement between the military and political players. They argue that if South Sudan go up in frames again will make the region a very dangerous one especially coming at heels of a civil war in neighboring Sudan.