Since the early 1990s, the Somalian conflict has continued with the antics of several participatory third parties. In March of 2007, under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Uganda was approved by the AMISOM force commanders to facilitate the “peacekeeping” efforts in Somalia. A mission approved under the supervision of the United Nations Security Council (UN Council). The defeat of these units in various battles by January 1st, 2007, moved Uganda’s despots to renew the voluntary pledge to over 8,000 “peacekeepers” by December 2006. Uganda, occupying the biggest participatory position contributor to AMISOM, continues to send its troops to the Somalian capital, Mogadishu, from 2007 to date. The East African country deploys troops to terrorize Somalia and presumably aid Equatorial Guinea to build capacity and professionalization of the West African nation’s army, on a one-year rotational basis.
In the backdrop of warmongering, the rationale is availed in the monetary gain for these despots. To date, Uganda’s despots volunteer over 6,000 troops to serve terror in Somalia, in addition to over 100 troops to Equatorial Guinea. In 2007, three battalions constituting 750 veterans Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) soldiers were sent to Somalia. Most of these ex-UPDF soldiers included ex-army officials, close allies of General Museveni. Additionally, the Special Security Forces (SFC), military personnel of the regime, joined in 2012. Over the years totalling the recorded, 3,000 Ugandan troops in Somalia. Initial retrieval of troops from Somalia, mostly consisting of retired UPDF veterans, transformed into the redrafting of these veterans onto voyage missions to West African countries exercising military power in that region.
Uganda’s militancy in the African region is upheld and recognised by international bodies such as the UN, the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU). The EU foots a bill of about $5000 USD monthly rate per soldier, but the Ugandan despot’s guarantee between $600- 700 USD monthly per soldier. The warmongering despot has ventured into voluntary militarism like a rotational schedule of a 24-hour business. Soldiers are rotated throughout the year since 2007. As soon as one group of soldiers is released and shipped back home, another group all trained, armed and ready to be deployed.
An agreement between the Ugandan despots and the EU guarantees that; the Ugandan government supplies ammunition to the three battalions of UPDF soldiers and other troops in Somalia; each AK-47 machine gun at $800 USD monthly, each PKM ammunition at $1200 USD monthly. RPGs, although now phased out they were rented at $2000USD-$2800USD, machine guns named: No:12 rented at $1600 USD, No:14 at $2400USD, No: 35, usually mounted on top of vehicles, rented at $5000USD.
Military tanks are rented: Over 70 armoured tanks previously donated to the Ugandan army by the United States of America. Each tank goes for $10,000USD monthly, Tank Casper at $8,000USD per month, over 20 army tanks from Idi Amin Dada`s regime at $10,000USD, named: T78, T80 and T82, UPDF tanks with UPDF number plates, T59, over 20 Bembe tanks, new version, rented out at $8000USD. All this information and decision making is phased out of the public domain, back door, classified budget procedures passed by the Ugandan parliament.
Victim compensation of this orchestrated war isn’t spared either; for each soldier to be repatriated back to Uganda, their families were to be compensated. The UN pledged to pay $100,000USD per deceased soldier. The grieving families are lucky enough in most circumstances if they receive $50,000 USD half of the compensation. In 2017, the UPDF reported 13 soldiers lost in the Golweyn ambush, repatriating 13 coffins that held over 33 soldiers, each containing two to three bodies. The fraudulence feasts off the compensation money makes the deceased soldiers unaccounted for, therefore not being reported to their families, non-repatriation and in most instances false recording of the number of deceased soldiers.
Ugandans are flustered as to why Uganda, a country struggling at peace from state repression at home, sends soldiers and police on “peacekeeping” agendas to Somalia at the expense of the taxpayer. With Museveni still in power, more conflicts with neighbouring nations will continue to rise. The warmongering militancy aided and abetted by the Ugandan despot alongside enablers and allies in the International community affirms that the East African region extending to central Africa, remains a volatile war zone avenue always ready for harvest.
