South Sudanese President Salva Kiir made an unannounced visit to Kampala on Tuesday to meet with Ugandan leader Yoweri Museveni over the role of Ugandan army (UPDF) forces in the civil war in South Sudan.
UPDF sent over 4000 troops into South Sudan in December and January, as well as aircraft and other weaponry, in order to bolster the South Sudanese government in its struggle against defected SPLA troops.
The foreign minister of the East African nation stated several weeks ago they would start withdrawing their troops in April, but other officials have since said this will not happen until the deployment of troops by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, a regional organization of which Uganda is a part.
Kiir and Museveni reportedly met for three hours, before cancelling at the last minute a joint press conference. Late yesterday evening, Uganda’s State House issued a statement saying the two men discussed various bilateral issues.
The Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs, James Mugume, was quoted by Uganda’s Daily Monitor newspaper as saying before the meeting that it was African Union and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to decide whether the UPDF will remain in South Sudan or not.
“It’s not for us to decide. It’s AU and IGAD to decide whether UPDF should be re-deployed or gradually pullout,” the official said.
In related news, the third-highest ranking officer in the Ugandan military, Maj. Gen. David Muhoozi visited Ugandan troops in Juba and Bor on Wednesday.
New Vision reports that the commander addressed troops at the Juba airport before flying to Bor, where he inspected troops before returning the same day.
Photo: UPDF tank at Juba Airport, 9 April 2014 (Kennedy Oryema/New Vision)
Related coverage:
Major role for Ugandan army in South Sudan ‘until the country is stable’ (31 Jan.)
Negotiator decries ‘Ugandan invasion’ of South Sudan (8 Jan.)
Uganda sends forces to help Salva Kiir ‘defeat Machar’ (30 Dec.)