Tag Archives: south sudan

By Haggai Matsiko Fight erupts over million dollar training deal in Uganda A secret operation by security contractors based in Uganda has been underway training fighters, comprising Ugandans and South Sudanese, to fight in the South Sudan war, The Independent has learnt.  The training is reportedly part of a deal …

By Andrew M. Mwenda The changing face of the Ugandan army and what it says about Museveni’s plans for the future Imade my career in the late 1990s and early 2000s in large part by investigating and reporting on corruption and incompetence in the Uganda Peoples’ Defense Forces (UPDF). The …

By Joan Akello The French embassy in Uganda estimates that over 80 per cent of refugees have arrived in Uganda in the last five years. The majority of the 310,000 refugees in Uganda originate from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while some 90,000 are from South Sudan and others …

By The  Independent Team Two warring party leaders in South Sudan are scheduled to return to the negotiating table two weeks after agreeing to a cease-fire. South Sudan in mid-December broke into a political struggle, turning into nationwide warfare between troops loyal to the government and those loyal to the …

By Andrew M. Mwenda Why supporting Salva Kiir may turn out to be Museveni’s most ill-advised military intervention The Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) recent military adventure into South Sudan follows a pattern that has made our country a regional military hegemon and our president, one of Africa’s most influential …

By The Independent Team South Sudan’s government and rebels have signed a ceasefire agreement after talks in Ethiopia. Under the deal, signed in a hotel in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, the fighting is due to come to an end within 24 hours. In the past week, government forces have …

By The Independent Team and Agencies Oil money and bad politics As we went to press, media reports were indicating that forces loyal to South Sudanese President Salva Kiir backed by Ugandan forces had retaken Malakal, the main town in the country’s oil capital , Upper Nile state. Former vice …

By The Independent Team Ugandan President Opens Meeting Of East African Parliament President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda has blamed the conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan on selfish and opportunistic politicians, who take advantage of weak state structures as well as on meddling by foreigners. …

By Haggai Matsiko IGAD tight-fisted as parliament sends Museveni to war without a budget One day before parliament on Jan.14 debated the deployment of Uganda army troops to South Sudan, the U.S.  National Security Advisor Susan Rice issued a statement that could have serious implications for President  Yoweri Museveni’s Juba …

By Independent Team President Kiir clings on to power in wild-west style Salva Kiir Mayardit was a teenager when he first joined the fight for the liberation of his homeland in the 1960s. By 1972 he was a low ranking officer when he joined the Sudanese army under a deal …