Juab, 08 March 2023; South Sudan Liberty News has learned from military intelligence agents that Uganda’s Military Generals belonging to the Special force tasked to protect Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni have been briefed and placed on maximum high alert to be deployed to Juba. 

The informant who asked for his identity to be concealed due to the sensitivity of the matter said Uganda’s military is preparing to intervene in South Sudan to aid President Salva Kiir amid rising tensions in the country after President Kiir made a unilateral decision to fire the country's Defense Minister, Hon Angelina Teny who played a crucial role in Khartoum 2018 peace agreement.  

According to the military source, South Sudan's leader is under intense pressure to reinstate Hon Angelina, and the same military source said the situation is critical and can erupt into an unknown event at any time. 

Senior Minister from Kiir's ruling party who spoke to SSLN on condition of anonymity said both, the Uganda leader Museveni and South Sudan's leader Kiir on Tuesday had a long conversation and President Kiir requested Mr. Museveni to deploy Special forces to J1 because South Sudan's leader has little faith in his own tiger battalion, President Kiir according to the minister is worried about the Presence of unified forces within Juba and other towns. 

Different sources confirmed to this publication that the Uganda military is ready to deploy troops to Juba, should the situation in the country change. 

“Museveni has put military officials on standby to deploy to J1, also known as State House,” said the senior Minister from Kiir’s party. 

When asked why Kiir would request Ugandan forces, the informant said Kiir has doubts that his forces mainly recruited from his home state will be able to protect him given the presence of unified forces in Juba. 

Therefore, the intention to bring in Ugandan forces is mainly to protect President Kiir and his inner circles. 

The dismissal of the defense minister lead to an escalation of Tensions, which have been on the rise in Juba for the past three days since President Kiir fired the country’s Defense Minister, Angelina Teny, who is also the wife of his long-time political rival, Riek Machar, along with Interior Minister Mahmoud Solomon, in a presidential order that was read on state television on Friday. Angelina Teny is a member of Dr. Riek Machar’s SPLM-IO, she was a significant player in the 2018 peace accord that brought the five-year civil war to an end. Her dismissal is considered a breach of the peace agreement, which stipulates that the military ministry is to be governed by Machar’s party and the interior ministry by Kiir’s. 

With the escalating tensions between the two camps, sources inside State House Juba say that President Kiir has been in contact with the Kampala government to request for military help. President Museveni has requested army commanders to monitor the situation and inform him regularly of their assessment of the situation.  

Army officials have been placed on standby, with the commandant of the Special Forces Command ready to deploy soldiers and specialized fighting equipment to State House Juba if tensions escalate. Despite this, UPDF spokesman Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye refused to comment on the proposed deployment, stating that he was not aware of any plans to send troops to Juba. 

Dr. Riek Machar condemned President Kiir’s decision to fire the Defense and Interior Ministers in a statement issued on March 4, 2023. He urged the President to reverse the decision and to re-appoint Angelina Teny as Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs. According to Riek, such decisions should be made with regular conversations inside the Presidency, between the President and the First Vice President, to maintain efficient government throughout the transitional phase. 

South Sudan’s leading political parties announced a new two-year transition phase beginning February 22, 2022, the day the unity government was created. The unity administration was supposed to stay in office for three years, with elections in 2023. However, the prolonged transitional phase to peace would now expire in February 2025, with elections in December 2024. 

It should be recalled UPDF deployment to South Sudan met stiff resistance in Bor in 2013. Ugandan forces' interference in South Sudan’s internal affairs is not something new, in 2013 days after fighting erupted among SPLA forces pitching the Dinka tribe of President Kiir against the Nuer tribe of Riek Machar, Museveni flew to Juba and held a meeting with Kiir and Mr. Museveni immediately took part instead of being a referee. In a press conference held in Juba on the same day, Museveni sends a stern warning with ultimatum to Riek Machar to surrender or face to the deed of his action. 

However, an ultimatum fell on a deaf ear, consequently, Museveni deployed UPDF to rescue Bor, till these day, numbers of Ugandan forces killed along the Juba-Bor Road remain unknown and Museveni was not able to give any accountability to the general population about the losses inflicted on Ugandan forces by the strong forces of late General Peter Gadet. It was believed up to 350 forces of UPDF were killed others were slaughtered when the convoy was ambushed by the forces of late Gen Peter Gedat along Juba-Bor Road. 

Justin. S. Swaka 

SSLN