SouthScan Vol.17 No.11 31 May 2002
http://southscan.gn.apc.org/

Uganda seeks military
interventionist policy

Uganda is in the process of reshaping its
defence policy so that it can run military
incursions into neighbouring states to
attack rebels there. Minister of State for
Defence Ruth Nankabirwa said the move
was part of a four-year defence review
programme to set out Uganda’s strategic
goals and move its army into a post
conflict era.

A defence review unit will be launched in
early June, to be headed by Col. Rusoke
and three directors. It will re-organise the
52,000 strong Uganda People’s Defence
Force (UPDF) and create specialised units
to include a mountain brigade, the
airforce, marines and mechanised units. It
will also define its military and non-military
roles inside and outside Uganda. A
command control system along US lines
will be put in place.
Nankabirwa will oversee the reforms along
with Muruli Mukasa, minister of state in
charge of security in the president’s office.
The defence ministry is to liaise with the
foreign affairs department in drawing up
the new security-driven foreign policy.
At the same time the US is renewing its
which was getting support from Uganda.
The US has intensified its involvement in
the Sudan conflict, US Senator John
Danforth has recommended “energetic
support” to end the conflict, and Washington
has called for an end to the war.
Nevertheless, the UPDF/SPLA cooperation,
involving construction of
security roads in SPLA-controlled
territory, and military and logistical
support, is in violation of the March 14
agreement.
The London-based Africa Rights group
has slammed both sides, saying “As long
as two countries continue to use rebel
groups as proxy armies the wars in
northern Uganda and southern Sudan are
set to continue.”
The Ugandan policy initiatives also come
at a time when relations with most
neighbouring states are at low ebb.
Relations with Rwanda have chilled after
a Rwanda-Uganda military verification
team found evidence of Interahamwe
activities in Uganda. Uganda rejected a
Rwandan suggestion of hot pursuit and
instead backs border patrols by both
armies on their sides of the border.
On another border, the disarmament
programme in Karamoja has led to an
influx of armed Karamojong into Kenya,
which had favoured a regional effort.
Elsewhere Uganda has reneged on
commitments regarding its $35m
relations with that country. And inside the
country the increased suppression of
multi-party protagonists is threatening to
become violent.