Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Uganda is set to prosecute more than a dozen military officers over
the alleged theft of food meant for African Union peacekeeping troops in
Somalia, in the latest corruption incident involving the U.S.-backed
peacekeeping mission in the war-torn, Horn of Africa nation, the Ugandan
military said Monday.
Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has recalled at least 20 military
officers, including the commander of the Ugandan contingent, Brig.
Michael Ondoga, after an investigation by Ugandan military intelligence
implicated them in the diversion of food and fuel meant for the
peacekeepers, Uganda's military spokesman Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda said.
The development marks a major shake-up of the Uganda-led peacekeeping
mission, which drove the al Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab militants out
of Somalia's war torn capital, Mogadishu, in 2011.
"The officers are expected to report to the headquarters of land
forces this week for further action; investigations are continuing," Lt.
Col. Ankunda said. He said the further action would include
prosecutions.
Uganda's military intelligence launched investigations in June after
it was found that the 6,000-strong Ugandan troops in Somalia were having
only one meal a day. Intelligence officers accuse the commanders of
selling food and fuel meant for the peacekeepers to private companies in
Mogadishu.
Brig. Ondoga declined to comment on the accusations.
In the past three years, the Uganda-led peacekeepers, including
troops from Kenya, Burundi and Senegal, have registered significant
strides in the offensive against the al-Shabaab militants, driving them
out of their former strongholds of Mogadishu, Kismayu and Baidoa. But
corruption incidents have threatened to overshadow the military gains.
In July, a confidential report by United Nations monitors accused
Kenyan soldiers of facilitating al-Shabaab militants to illegally export
charcoal worth millions of dollars from the strategic port city of
Kismayu. The Somali government has since asked the African Union to
replace the Kenyans in Kismayu. The Kenyan military denies the
accusations. The U.N. banned charcoal exports from Somalia early 2012,
in an attempt to choke off the source of funding for the militants.
The U.N. monitors said in a July report that although al-Shabaab has
suffered conventional military setbacks, particularly in urban centers,
its military strength, which is estimated at 5,000 fighters, remains
intact in terms of operational readiness, chain of command, discipline
and communication capabilities.
Somalia hasn't had an effective government for the past 20 years,
making it a haven for alleged pirates, terrorists and illicit arms
dealers.