The government of Uganda should utilize the rare opportunity of hosting the African Union Heads of States Summit to state in no uncertain terms that Ugandan and Burundian young men cannot continue in Somalia if other member countries are not ready to join the mission, leading members of the Opposition have urged.

The leader of Opposition in Parliament Prof. Morris Ogenga Latigo (pictured right) says that the government needs to mount pressure on its guests - the African leaders who are here for the 15th AU Summit, to commit troops for the Somalia mission or the UPDF withdraws from the escalating conflict in the Horn-of-Africa country.

Latigo says that Uganda has lost more than 100 lives including soldiers and civilians in fighting as well as during the recent terrorist bomb attacks in Kampala, and cannot afford to stay in Somalia if member countries are sitting idly by.

Ogenga says: “Our responsibility is to restore the true image of the force – as an African mission. This image will not be restored by increasing the number of Ugandan troops in Somalia. Instead, it will be by other African countries stepping up and contributing troops.”

Whereas he and a number of other opposition politicians including UPC president Dr. Olara Otunnu support the deployment UPDF troops for peace-keeping purposes, they argue that the country needs to have an open discussion. Dr. Kizza Besigye, (pictured left) the president of the Forum for Democratic Change, the biggest opposition party in Uganda is however totally opposed to the whole Somalia venture.

Latigo preached caution when he said that whatever purpose Uganda may have in Somalia, will be defeated by making an African Union mission a Ugandan mission.

Latigo says that as the opposition, they expect concrete outcomes to emerge from the Summit of heads of state regarding the involvement of other African countries, especially Somalia’s immediate neighbours, otherwise, they will call for Uganda to redefine its engagement.

“We cannot afford to escalate the conflict. First of all, the target [by al-shabaab] on Uganda will be clear. Secondly, they will label us as infidels [if for instance other Islamic African nations do not join AMISOM],” Latigo adds.

Latigo argues further that unlike past foreign missions that saw us pursue terrorists in Congo and Sudan, Uganda faces an impossible task of delivering supplies to its troops in case the country goes on the offensive because Uganda does not share a border with Somalia.

“If we launch a large-scale war in Somalia, how will you deliver equipment, food, medical supplies. It will be a nightmare,” he said.

The professor argues further that a unilateral military engagement with the terrorists in Somalia will erode the incentive of dialogue and peace building process that Uganda has been supporting.

Prof. Latigo’s concerns echo the feelings of many Ugandans who think that whereas Uganda has legitimate reasons to keep peace in Somalia and the region, we cannot afford to be overzealous and want to take on a task that has all the signs of causing a boomerang.

The cautious voices especially from the opposition come in the wake of what some have called President Museveni’s war-posturing when he announced last week that Uganda was ready to contribute 2000 additional troops immediately.

The president reiterated that Uganda was also ready to increase its presence in Somalia by 20,000 troops in the near future.

In a bizarre twist to the Somalia question, a high-ranking African Union (AU) official said told delegates at the Munyonyo Summit that African countries had failed to join Uganda and Burundi forces due to inadequate resources.

Erastus Mwencha, the African Union Commission Vice President, in his address to the media at the 15th AU summit said that many countries haven’t committed themselves to the Somalia cause because the international community has been slow in availing resources.

The AU statement could be a self-indictment on the part of the African body whose mission is a peaceful, prosperous and integrated continent; a premise in conformity with the fact that the AU has dedicated 2010 as a year of peace.

Latigo further reveals that initially the UN Security council had cautioned countries neighbouring Somalia not to interfere with the country’s affairs as this would mean courting danger for such nations.

Kenya, which is Somalia’s immediate neighbour, has decided to play it safe by not committing troops to the volatile country. The only role Kenya has played in the Somalia question is to host the Interim Somali government and parliament at the time the Islamic Courts Union had taken over the country.

It’s, however, uncertain as to whether the UN’s warning was meant to protect their fragile interests in Kenya, considering that Kenya hosts thousands of UN staff and offices.

But whatever the argument, the Somalia question is one that’s steadily spreading throughout the region with the Great Lakes region now being their theatre of attack.

It’s a war that is most likely to smoulder on for as long as the militants have it in their mind that they’re fighting a holy war.

The war has left Uganda and Burundi as the sole partakers of the militant’s fury. Late last year, a Burundian contingent commander was killed alongside scores of Ugandan troops in a series of separate bomb attacks on AMISOM bases.

The bombing and subsequent killing of AMISOM troops was a warning by al-Shabaab militants for Uganda and Burundi to immediately withdrawal and back-off from Somalia, further threatening that they would wrought severe havoc if Uganda and Burundi didn’t budge.

The climax of these threats was the July 11 bombings in Kampala which left at least 76 people dead and scores of others injured.     

But it remains to be seen whether the President will listen to the opposition and other Ugandans who are urging caution.

Latigo contends that if the President fails to listen to the voice of reason, he should be held accountable for whichever outcome of the Somalia debacle. blog comments powered by Disqus

< Prev		Next >