The Horn Of Africa States: The Presence Of Uganda Soldiers In Somalia – OpEd
It is certainly not for the benefit of Somalia and Somalis. They did no good during their long stay in the country, despite the claims otherwise. Uganda is a country with an area of 24,038 sq.km and a population of about 46 million. Its per capita income is USD 1,163, just another poor African state, whose resources are mostly in the hands of a family, which is control of the country for decades now – a wrong model for any country and especially Africa, which claims to be democratic and not monarchic. The implications of their presence is clear!
The family soldiers for others, of course, to obtain and maintain the support of major donor countries which have developed, for their own purposes, the peacekeeping missions in various mostly African countries, Somalia being a primary candidate.
Overstaying leaders like Museveni and his family entourage need money to finance patronage of corrupt elites in his country, and sustain an army, which not only protects him and his administration but can also be hired out to others at affordable prices. It is a perfect source of soldiers for those, who may have geostrategic interests, in countries like Somalia.
Somalia , a conflicted country offers an unending chaos, often contributed to, by its corrupt elite, who are busy enriching themselves than serving their people and country. Along with Museveni and his administration and the corrupt Somali political class, there shows a perfect pair, which can tango together for decades and years. It is what has been going on for the past eighteen years without any result or achieving any goal in the real interest of Somalia. They breed together more chaos.
It is quite understandable that President Trump and his administration reject the idea of contributing to and funding unending projects, which are leeches on America’s taxpayers’ monies. The idea of changing names of so-called peacemaking missions, like those that operate in Somalia from IGADSOM, to AMISOM to ATMIS and now to AUSSOM, can no longer hoodwink neither the Somali nor the taxpayers of the monies that are being used to sustain and finance undemocratic regimes like Museveni, who is in power now, for nearly four decades.
It is often said that he fights America’s wars and provides affordable soldiers from his country, but perhaps, this is not Trump’s America. Money should be spent on Americans and not to be sent to sustain Museveni’s soldiers, in other countries, which need peace and stability. A corrupt political class is not the solution for any country as this ultimately backfires.
The silent majority of Somalia is no longer at ease with what is happening in their country, and the corrupt political class that has dominated the country is nearing the end of their games. There is little Museveni and his entourage, including the various think tanks and NGOs who propagate incorrect information about Somalia, can do to reverse the correctional process underway to reverse the wrong track on which Somalia has been placed.
Incompetent and corrupt African dictators have no longer a space in the continent, and it will better for Museveni to walk away while the time is good. Other African dictators refused to leave while there was still time and they all left in ignominy and disgrace only to die in foreign lands, destitute. There were, for some them, difficulties to find even a last resting place. Mobuto Sese Seko of DR Congo was one of those. He arrived in Morocco on May 23rd, 1997, to stay for a few days but ended up dying there on September 7, when no other country would accept him. He is still buried there and unrepatriated to his homeland!
President Museveni has so far played his cards well, serving others, but good fortunes never last forever. It is perhaps time for him to withdraw from the lime light and remove his soldiers from Somalia. And so should the other African countries who have soldiers for hire in Somalia.
It is time they folded their tents and went back home. Somalis today know many facts about their country and who did what to their country. Somalia is today not in control of its territory (air, land seas) and foreigners with hired African soldiers like Museveni’s are in control of their country.
They fish and pollute the Somali seas and even bury wastes of all kinds in the Somali lands under the pretext of ‘even illegal’ mining operations, and they have not achieved peace in the country with the hired African soldiers despite the claims otherwise.
The underpaid and neglected Somali soldiers, however, pay the price fighting off well-equipped terrorist organizations imported into the country and, of course, they suffer as much as or worse than other Somalis who still live in the country, brave and tall, despite the harsh regimes imposed on them.
The question remains, ‘why are there African soldiers in Somalia?,’ when a well-paid Somali soldier can do a better and an honest job. The answer is related to corruption, money laundering, NGOs, enabling African countries, and more. It is time to reflect! The true Somali is no longer at ease and things may fall part, borrowing some of Chinua Achebe’s euphemisms and titles of some of his books.
