The Commander Land Forces (CLF) Maj General David Muhoozi has said the UPDF will only deploy in volatile South Sudan under the mandate of the African Union (AU) but not on the request of the South Sudan authorities.
Addressing the press at Bibia Military Detach in Attiak Sub County in Amuru district on Wednesday, Maj Gen Muhoozi said what happened in 2013 when UPDF was quickly deployed in South Sudan was different from what is currently happening in the country.
Maj Gen Muhoozi says if Ugandan army is to be redeployed in South Sudan, it will be only be under the framework of the African Union (AU).
“I think as it stands now it is no longer bilateral. What happened in 2013 and what happened now are different things. So whatever decision is taken in terms of deployment has to be within the framework of the region and the AU,” Maj Gen Muhoozi told journalists.
In mid-December 2013, about 3,000 Ugandan troops were deployed in South Sudan in to shore up the government of President Salva Kiir then shaken by an onslaught by soldiers loyal to former Vice President now First Vice President, Dr Riek Machar.
Muhoozi also strongly dismissed reports that UPDF had already deployed in Juba describing it as a ‘‘strong imagination.’’
The Commander of the Land Forces stressed that no single Ugandan soldier is in South Sudan adding the UPDF only went to Juba to evacuate Ugandans and other nationals who were trapped after a fight erupted between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his First Vice President Dr Riek Machar.
So far the UPDF says it has evacuated 30,000 civilians including Ugandans and other East Africa nationals from the South Sudan’s capital. The evacuation exercise ended on Tuesday this week, according to the army.
Meanwhile, the Anglican Bishop of Northern Uganda Diocese Rt Rev Johnson Gakumba commended the UPDF for saving the lives dozens of Ugandans and other foreign nationals who had been trapped in Juba and its outskirt.
Bishop Gakumba described the evacuation exercise by the Ugandan army as a commendable job.
However he warned the army against deploying South Sudan saying it would not solve the problem. Using Acholi proverbs, Bishop Gakumba said those who separate warring parties end up with broken skulls. He offered himself to mediate in South Sudan conflict saying it is disheartening to see civilians die in senseless war.
