IGAD Must Rein In Uganda President’s South Sudan Militarism

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Uganda’s Museveni

Freedom and Unity Front, the Liberation platform for the pacification and democratization of Uganda, views the on-going Ugandan unilateral and one sided military intervention in South Sudan by Gen. Yoweri Museveni as unhelpful.

Other than his usual regional domination power politics, it is also  designed to mask the mounting pressure by pro-democracy campaigners within Uganda for him to step down.

It is not surprising that most Ugandans, including the Members of Parliament, are expressing grave concern about the unilateral and unsanctioned deployment of Ugandan troops in South Sudan without the express permission of the Ugandan parliament as required by the constitution and in ways that are evidently counter-productive and unhelpful to the regional and international efforts to facilitate a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Mr. Museveni should have known that the problems in South Sudan are essentially political that required unbiased assessment and measured action supported by all sides to the conflict and fully in line with the regional and other international efforts.

And now, Uganda is once again suffering the humiliation of being condemned and isolated by people of South Sudan and the international community which has forced Museveni’s Prime Minister to deny the one-sided and unilateral intervention.

Museveni’s posturing that he would “crush” former South Sudan Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, which he even has no capacity to do, has been replaced by a shameful climb-down as exemplified in his meeting with Mrs. Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior, John Garang’s widow, and other Sudanese officials opposed to President Salva Kiir government instead of issuing hollow threats.

FUF calls on the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the regional body, to reign in Mr. Museveni and to focus on a neutral approach helpful to all the people of South Sudan and the region.

FUF stands together with our Brothers and Sisters in South Sudan.

They should not lose hope as their country will emerge stronger after these trials.

 

Dr. Vincent Magombe, FUF Press Secretary
 

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