Time to Review Somalia Mission

The Observer (Kampala)

Editorial

8 June 2011

The news from Somalia is bad and good. Bad because a lieutenant colonel and three other Ugandan soldiers were last Saturday killed in Mogadishu.

Good because the African Union peacekeeping mission (AMISOM) and the Somali transitional government forces have recently made significant gains in their bid to eject Al Shabaab fighters from Mogadishu. Lt Col Patrick Tibihwa’s death has made him the most senior Ugandan army officer to die in Somalia so far. He was commanding officer of the 23 battalion.

Others who died are: Lt Lawrence Tugume, Cpl Abdalla Isabirye, and Pte Augustine Kuloba. These gallant soldiers must be honoured for serving and dying for their country. On the other hand, the transitional government and AMISOM have since February embarked on an offensive that has seen them take control of at least 50% of the war-torn Somali capital.

However, we must not bask in these gains and forget the price we have had to pay. Every time we lose soldiers, it is unavoidable that we find ourselves asking what cost is too high for Uganda to pay in this conflict. When Uganda first contributed troops in 2007, it was on the understanding that this was an African Union mission and so other countries would join later. Only Burundi has so far joined.

But that task is too big to be left to only two countries. Uganda lost 80 people in bomb blasts in Kampala almost a year ago, which the Al Shabaab terrorists claimed was revenge for Uganda’s role in Somalia. In addition, dozens of soldiers have died on duty in that country since 2007. Yet the conflict is far from settlement.

The African Union, United States, European Union, and other world powers interested in world security must put their money where their mouths are. Uganda has played its part and it’s time for others to either back it up in a robust way or completely take over. Indeed the government in Kampala ought to come clean on its exit strategy.

Four years is a long time and seeing no end in sight, when our citizens continue to die, or live in fear of terrorism, is unacceptable.

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