The Nairobi-based opposition coalition, the United People’s
Alliance (UPA), led by Pagan Amum, has condemned the reported deployment of
Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) in South Sudan.
The UPDF was allegedly invited by the government to
reinforce security amid escalating tensions following the conflicts in Upper
Nile, Western Bahr el Ghazal, and Western Equatoria states.
“The UPA calls for the immediate withdrawal of all foreign
troops from the territory of South Sudan not mandated by the UN,” the statement
added.
In a press release, UPA Secretary General and spokesperson
Lual Dau stated that South Sudan stands at a critical moment where its citizens
are struggling to recover the country from deepening economic, humanitarian,
and political challenges
The group accused the government of mismanaging national
resources and enabling widespread corruption and exploitation.
“Unlike in other countries where governments value the
wellbeing and security of their citizens, the ruling clique in Juba
masquerading as a government has once again demonstrated that returning the
country to war is intentional,” the statement reads in part.
“Therefore, inviting foreign troops into South Sudan is a
premeditated malicious plan to return the country to a full-out war, proving
beyond any doubt that the R-ARCSS is dead and that Tumaini is the only hope for
a negotiated peace.”
The UPA called on regional and international actors to stop
South Sudan’s neighboring countries from further inflaming the already fragile
situation.
It also urged opposition groups, political activists, civil
society, and citizens to protest against the government’s alleged move to
deploy foreign troops to suppress dissent and push the country toward
full-scale war.
On Tuesday, Uganda’s Chief of Defense Forces (CDF), Gen.
Muhoozi Kainerugaba, announced via his X account that Ugandan troops had been
deployed in South Sudan to protect President Salva Kiir and secure the capital,
Juba.
However, later that day, South Sudan’s Information Minister,
Michael Makuei, denied any UPDF presence in the country. Contradicting this, a
UPDF spokesperson confirmed that Ugandan special forces had indeed been
deployed to support President Salva Kiir’s government.
The circumstances under which the UPDF was deployed remain
unclear, as there has been no public authorization by Uganda’s parliament.
Clashes between government forces and the White Army, a
militia aligned with First Vice President Riek Machar’s SPLM/A-IO, have
escalated in Nasir in recent weeks. The fighting led to the deaths of several
soldiers, including SSPDF Commander Gen. Majur Dak, as well as a UN helicopter
crew member.
The United Nations has condemned the incident, highlighting
the fragility of South Sudan’s peace process and raising concerns about the
future of the 2018 peace agreement. The conflict resulted in the ongoing arrest
of the SPLM-IO politicians and military officers
The growing unrest has renewed fears about the stability of
the 2018 peace accord, which ended South Sudan’s brutal five-year civil war.
Formed in January, the United People’s Alliance (UPA) is a
coalition comprising the South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) and
other opposition groups engaged in the Kenya-led Tumaini Initiative peace talks
in Nairobi.
The alliance unified its forces under a single command structure, with Real-SPLM leader Gen. Pa’gan Amum Okiech appointed as its Chairperson and Commander-in-Chief.
