Uganda’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) parliamentary caucus has endorsed the deployment of Ugandan troops to South Sudan, calling it a necessary step to restore stability in the conflict-ridden country. The decision was made during a meeting chaired by President Yoweri Museveni at State House Entebbe on Thursday.
In recent weeks, tensions have escalated between forces loyal to South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and those of his First Vice President, Riek Machar, who leads the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO).
Last week, militias allegedly loyal to Machar overran the town of Nasir in Upper Nile State, killing numerous people, including a South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) commander in the area.
The violence prompted Kiir’s administration to intensify a crackdown on Machar’s allies. Among those detained are the Petroleum Minister and several senior military officials aligned with the First Vice President.
These developments have raised renewed concerns about the stability of the fragile 2018 peace agreement, which ended a brutal five-year civil war.
In a statement signed by Government Chief Whip Hamson Obua, the caucus said the deployment of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) complies with Uganda’s constitution and the UPDF Act.
“We, the members of the NRM Parliamentary Caucus, hereby resolve to support the deployment of the UPDF in South Sudan as a necessary intervention for peace enforcement, to protect lives, restore stability, and prevent further escalation of conflict,” the statement said.
The caucus also backed a proposal to seek parliamentary approval for the deployment, in line with constitutional requirements.
The move follows questions raised by lawmakers earlier this week about the UPDF’s presence in South Sudan.
Defence Minister Jacob Oboth Oboth told parliament he was unaware of the deployment, despite reports that Ugandan troops had arrived in Juba to support South Sudanese President Salva Kiir.
Colonel Chris Magezi, the Military Assistant for Public Relations to the Chief of Defence Forces, later clarified the situation on social media platform X. He said the UPDF had acted swiftly in response to a request from South Sudan’s government to address a rapidly deteriorating security situation.
“The UPDF acted decisively on the request of the government of South Sudan to avert a dangerously developing situation and deployed forces accordingly. This action is also in the interest of regional security,” Magezi said.
He added that the Defence Minister, who is not involved in operational matters, would be briefed on the details of the deployment in due course. “It was important for the UPDF to act with expediency to contain the situation,” he said.
The deployment has sparked debate in Uganda, with some lawmakers questioning the lack of prior parliamentary approval. However, the NRM caucus has now thrown its weight behind the move, framing it as a critical step to safeguard regional stability.
South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, has been plagued by internal conflict for years, with periodic flare-ups threatening peace efforts in the region.
Uganda has historically played a significant role in South Sudan’s conflicts.
In 2013, Ugandan troops intervened in Juba to bolster Kiir’s government during the civil war triggered by clashes between Kiir and Machar.