EAC defence chief assures on security
Nov 04, 2005
COL. Henry Nyamboko, the dean defence liaison in the East African Community (EAC), has assured partner states that a joint force is ready to protect the region.
By Josephine Maseruka
COL. Henry Nyamboko, the dean defence liaison in the East African Community (EAC), has assured partner states that a joint force is ready to protect the region.
He said the force would maintain law and order in the three partner states, adding that currently the EAC army is not involved in any civil wars and is focusing on cooperation among member states.
Addressing a media workshop at Hotel Africana organised by the EAC and the ministry of foreign affairs on Monday, Nyamboko said they had reached a level where mistrust among forces of partner states was at a negligible level.
He said when they discussed EAC security matters, emphasis was on integration.
Nyamboko said the partner states had agreed on joint training of forces by harmonising calendars of training schools in the region from January 2006.
In Uganda, Kimaka Staff College in Jinja will be used for the joint training.
Nyamboko, however, said the issue of donor funding was taboo at the EAC security desk, to avoid strings attached to such funds.
He said rebel leader Joseph Kony and his Lord’s resistance Army were a big problem to the region, since Sudan had not allowed air facilities to sweep him from Sudan.
He said, “The issue of getting Kony is very complex and needs authorisation from the Sudanese government to use jet-fighters.â€
He said the EAC had included cattle rustling in the issues that need to be dealt with but added that the army’s involvement was supplementary.
COL. Henry Nyamboko, the dean defence liaison in the East African Community (EAC), has assured partner states that a joint force is ready to protect the region.
He said the force would maintain law and order in the three partner states, adding that currently the EAC army is not involved in any civil wars and is focusing on cooperation among member states.
Addressing a media workshop at Hotel Africana organised by the EAC and the ministry of foreign affairs on Monday, Nyamboko said they had reached a level where mistrust among forces of partner states was at a negligible level.
He said when they discussed EAC security matters, emphasis was on integration.
Nyamboko said the partner states had agreed on joint training of forces by harmonising calendars of training schools in the region from January 2006.
In Uganda, Kimaka Staff College in Jinja will be used for the joint training.
Nyamboko, however, said the issue of donor funding was taboo at the EAC security desk, to avoid strings attached to such funds.
He said rebel leader Joseph Kony and his Lord’s resistance Army were a big problem to the region, since Sudan had not allowed air facilities to sweep him from Sudan.
He said, “The issue of getting Kony is very complex and needs authorisation from the Sudanese government to use jet-fighters.â€
He said the EAC had included cattle rustling in the issues that need to be dealt with but added that the army’s involvement was supplementary.