UPDF should relax rules on partners
Aug 27, 2008
THE Somali woman here to meet a UPDF officer who fathered her child while on a peace-keeping mission in Mogadishu finally met the man. Although WO II Joshua Asiza denied the reports, the head of the Somali community confirmed he saw Nina Omar and her four month-old son. There is both good and bad ne
THE Somali woman here to meet a UPDF officer who fathered her child while on a peace-keeping mission in Mogadishu finally met the man. Although WO II Joshua Asiza denied the reports, the head of the Somali community confirmed he saw Nina Omar and her four month-old son. There is both good and bad news in this.
It is good that Asiza has not denied fathering the child, because it is not humane for one to disown his blood. In African tradition a man who denies his blood would be taken to be cursed.
The bad side is that Asiza is facing trial for what the army calls “acts detrimental to the UPDF conduct and rules of procedure.†Apparently the army leadership does not want soldiers to fall in love while on foreign missions.
It is proper to regulate field personnel’s conduct to ensure they do not neglect their duty, become a nuisance to the host population or commit crime.
However, a complete ban on consensual sexual relationships that do not interfere with duty can be counterproductive. It can aggravate stress to the home-sick soldiers and even lead to crime such as rape and other undesirable forms of sex.
Reports abound of American servicemen involved in such crimes yet they are allowed time off to socialise with hosts. The US government even has a law that unfortunately provides immunity for its servicemen who engage in crime abroad.
Uganda should not take such path but its soldiers serving abroad should be allowed to be themselves – unless, of course, they are threatening other people’s marriages, luring school girls or abandoning duty to look for lovers.
It appears UPDF soldiers are either charming or more financially empowered while on foreign missions that they quickly catch the eyes of their female hosts. Those who went to DR Congo returned with partners and they seem to have settled down well.
This is how it should be. Only those who deny their blood or put love above duty are at fault.
It is good that Asiza has not denied fathering the child, because it is not humane for one to disown his blood. In African tradition a man who denies his blood would be taken to be cursed.
The bad side is that Asiza is facing trial for what the army calls “acts detrimental to the UPDF conduct and rules of procedure.†Apparently the army leadership does not want soldiers to fall in love while on foreign missions.
It is proper to regulate field personnel’s conduct to ensure they do not neglect their duty, become a nuisance to the host population or commit crime.
However, a complete ban on consensual sexual relationships that do not interfere with duty can be counterproductive. It can aggravate stress to the home-sick soldiers and even lead to crime such as rape and other undesirable forms of sex.
Reports abound of American servicemen involved in such crimes yet they are allowed time off to socialise with hosts. The US government even has a law that unfortunately provides immunity for its servicemen who engage in crime abroad.
Uganda should not take such path but its soldiers serving abroad should be allowed to be themselves – unless, of course, they are threatening other people’s marriages, luring school girls or abandoning duty to look for lovers.
It appears UPDF soldiers are either charming or more financially empowered while on foreign missions that they quickly catch the eyes of their female hosts. Those who went to DR Congo returned with partners and they seem to have settled down well.
This is how it should be. Only those who deny their blood or put love above duty are at fault.