Uganda has officially initiated the withdrawal of its armed forces from Somalia, signaling the beginning of the end for its nearly twenty-year military entanglement in the Horn of Africa. Acting army spokesperson Chris Magezi confirmed that the first contingent of personnel deployed under a bilateral defense pact has already landed back home, with additional units slated to depart in the coming days. The comprehensive, phased drawdown of all forces—including those operating under the African Union framework—is targeted for completion by late 2027.

An initial detachment of 109 soldiers from the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) vacated Mogadishu following a public declaration by Uganda’s military chief, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Announcing the shift on social media, Gen Muhoozi noted that after two decades marked by heavy casualties and sacrifice, operational security responsibilities are now being surrendered to Somali forces. Ugandan officials maintain that Somalia must now assume full sovereignty over its defense infrastructure, despite persistent doubts regarding Mogadishu's readiness.

The drawdown comes in the immediate wake of talks in Kampala between Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. Mogadishu's delegation purportedly sought to persuade Uganda to maintain its military presence to forestall security lapses; however, no concessions were granted. Instead, President Museveni publicly urged Somalia’s political leaders and citizens to unify against the lingering al-Shabab insurgency rather than relying perpetually on external military interventions.

Back in 2007, Uganda was the pioneer troop contributor to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), spearheading the offensive operations that drove al-Qaeda-aligned al-Shabab militants out of the capital and several critical regional hubs. Currently, roughly 4,500 Ugandan soldiers remain under the AU mandate, supplemented by approximately 2,000 personnel deployed through separate bilateral arrangements.

The transition arrives at a precarious juncture for the newly reconstituted African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which faces acute financial uncertainties as the US regime and allied Western backers signal impending cuts to their operational subsidies. With foreign sponsors seeking an exit and local forces chronically under-resourced, critics argue that the premature handover may leave glaring vulnerabilities across the fractured Somali landscape.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk