NRM Caucus agree to support UPDF deployment in South Sudan

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The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Members of Parliament have agreed to support the Uganda People’s Defence Force’s (UPDF) deployment in South Sudan.

Sources that attended the closed-door meeting at State House Entebbe told New Vision that the decision was after a brief on the deployment by President Yoweri Museveni.

The source said after the brief, the President requested members to support the decision when it’s brought to Parliament for approval.

The Caucus chairperson Denis Harmison Obua also confirmed the move in a statement that he issued after the meeting.

Obua said the Caucus resolved to support the move as a necessary intervention for peace enforcement to protect lives, restore stability and prevent further escalation of conflict.

He said the Caucus recognized Uganda's historical commitment to patriotism, nationalism, and Pan-Africanism in the pursuit of national security and regional stability.

He said this was in addition to Uganda's longstanding role in safeguarding the lives and property of Ugandans and Africans at large, through strategic military interventions in various countries across the continent.

“We members of the Caucus appreciate Uganda's prompt and strategic response to deploy the UPDF in the spirit of brotherhood, solidarity, security of Uganda and the economy, we have resolved to support the deployment,” Obua said in a statement.

Obua said the Party was mindful of the recent appeal by Salva Kiir, President of the Republic of South Sudan to President Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda and Commander-in-Chief of the UPDF for urgent support following the outbreak of conflict in South Sudan.

The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba last week confirmed that UPDF special forces had been deployed in South Sudan to help “secure” Juba, its capital city.

The deployment came in the wake of skirmishes between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his Vice President Riek Machar, with Machar’s forces threatening to match to the capital.

Kainerugaba shared videos of the commandos alighting from a plane on his social media handle, and said; “UPDF commandos arriving in Juba to support South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF) in the current crisis.  Operation 'Mlinzi wa Kimya' (silent guard) has begun. God bless UPDF!”