Uganda: Kiyonga urges Somalia soldiers compensation

Batallion 11 of UPDF troops going through their final drills before heading to Somalia

By Edward Ssekika
Friday, Janaurary 9, 2015

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A viable national army and cohesion in the body politic of volatile Somalia are paramount if gains made by the United Nations-backed African Union Mission (Amisom) are to be consolidated, says Defence Minister Crispus Kiyonga.

Somalia plans to hold the first democratic elections in 2016, since the ouster of President Siad Barre in 1991. Speaking at the opening of a three-day Amisom 2015 retreat at Sheraton hotel in Kampala on Wednesday, Dr Kiyonga said the lack of political cohesion is likely to complicate the military and political gains made by Amisom of which Uganda is a major contributor.

The retreat was aimed at discussing the political and security future of Somalia, particularly in view of the 2016 elections. The current Amisom mandate expires on December 31, 2017.

But before the mandate expires, Dr Kiyonga said, it is important to train and equip the Somali National Army (SNA) and achieve political cohesion. Troop-contributing countries, Kiyonga pointed out, have made several gains and losses. Uganda was the second African country to contribute troops to Somalia in 2007 after Ethiopia.

Other contributing countries include Kenya, Burundi, Djibouti and Sierra Leone. On the gains, Kiyonga said al-Shabaab militants had been flushed out of all major towns in Somalia and severely weakened in the process.

“Some progress has been made for sure; Somalia is now back as a state,” he said.

“Previously, there was nobody to speak for Somalia, but today Somalia is in the African Union, United Nations and many other [bodies]; Somalia can now speak for herself in international fora, which is a big gain.”

Kiyonga said it was an act of omission that Africa and Uganda in particular delayed to intervene in Somalia. But these gains have come at a huge cost, he added.

“We have lost many troops as troop-contributing countries, many have been maimed for life and a lot of military equipment has been lost,” he said.

Kiyonga cited the 2012 loss of Uganda’s three helicopters which crashed in Kenya while en route to Somalia. The Mi-24 helicopters crashed on the slopes of Mount Kenya, killing several soldiers. Kiyonga also expressed concern that families of many Ugandan soldiers who lost lives in Somalia, had not been compensated.

“Of the people we have lost, 94 families, their compensation has not yet been paid,” he said.

He revealed that the family of a Ugandan soldier who dies in Somalia in the line of duty is entitled to $50,000 (Shs 125m) in compensation. Maman Sambo Sidikou, the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC), in his speech read by his deputy, Lydia Wanyoto, urged the international community to help the government of Somalia to deliver services to people in liberated areas.

“We run a risk of turning the population against us if we do not turn our full attention now to the population in the recovered areas,” Wanyoto said.

“Today’s liberation army could become an occupation force tomorrow if the people cannot benefit from tangible peace dividends,” she added.

Abdirahman Sheikh Isse, Somalia’s national security advisor, said the government in Mogadishu appreciates all the international support. “Although al-Shabaab has been severely weakened, it is by no means eradicated, it is still a threat,” he said.

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