Ugandan Army Demands U.S.$13 Billion to Continue Mission in S. Sudan
Kampala
The South Sudanese government has failed to pay the Ugandan People Defence
Forces (UPDF) for the past two months, casting doubt on the future of the
mission, a well-placed military source told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.
The non-payment could threaten the deployment of thousands of Ugandan troops
still stationed in the volatile areas of Bor and Juba.
The cost of the UPDF's deployment was initially covered by both the South
Sudanese and Ugandan governments.
However, the military source, who identified himself as "Ssalongo", said
Uganda has now asked South Sudan to foot the bill following mounting
criticism from the country's opposition groups.
The UPDF was deployed to South Sudan to fight alongside government forces
after conflict erupted in the country in mid-December last year.
The fighting has pitted government troops loyal to president Salva Kiir
against rebels aligned with sacked former vice-president Riek Machar.
According to Ssalongo, Uganda is demanding 13 billion shillings (about $5
million)every three months from the South Sudanese government in order to
continue their mission.
He said the deployment of Ugandan troops was motivated by fears the conflict
may destabilise the neighbouring regions, leaving Uganda vulnerable to
security threats.
"Being in South Sudan it is for betterment of Uganda security. If our forces
withdraw from that conflicts Ugandan citizens will be hit so much and we
want our people to be safer from killing," said Ssalongo.
South Sudan's defence minister, Kuol Manyang Juuk, earlier admitted billing
Uganda for its army's operational costs.
On a visit to the Ugandan capital, Kampala, South Sudan's vice president
James Wani Igga, denied his government was responsible for funding the
Ugandan military's mission in South Sudan.
Igga also told group of students at a rally in Kampala that the Ugandan
government would bear its own military expenses, not South Sudan.
Sudan has accused Uganda of providing military support to Sudanese rebels
seeking to oust Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir from power, a claim
the Ugandan government dismissed as "rubbish".
It has counter-accused Sudan of supporting rebels from the notorious Lord's
Resistance Army (LRA).
Uganda has come under heavy international pressure to withdraw its troops
from South Sudan amid fears their presence was further destabilising the
region.
However, Uganda has maintained that it would not pull out unless neutral
protection forces were deployed in the count
Thé Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja and Dr. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda is in
anarchy"
Kuungana Mulindwa Mawasiliano Kikundi
"Pamoja na Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja na Dk. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda ni
katika machafuko"
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