President Yoweri Museveni has cautioned the army leadership against turning combat missions into welfare missions through which they can access UN funds.
This is contained in Museveni’s condolence message to Ugandans and families of slain UPDF soldiers, following a bloody attack by Alshabab militants on African Union base in Somalia on Friday in which unspecified Ugandan troops were killed.
The attack on the peacekeepers under African Union happened in Bulo-Mareer in Lower Shabelle region of Somalia, left a UPDF base overun by the militants and equipment destroyed.
The actual number of casualities and deaths on the side of UPDF has not been communicated but reports put it beyond 50. President Museveni said the full facts will come out after investigations commissioned by the CDF are complete.
In his message, Gen. Museveni stated that whereas the unfortunate incident is still under investigation, it should remind all those concerned that operations in Somalia and other theatres are combat missions and not welfare missions where they can access UN allowances.
He also warned that it is criminal for anyone involved to send into such a theatre soldiers who are not suited for such a mission or unprepared for it.
A military general, Museveni partly blames the incident on inadequate military equipment to defend the base, with a UPDF company guarded by light weapons including two tanks, two 14.2mm anti-aircraft guns, and one 107mm Katusya rocket launcher.
Under attack, Museveni says some of the soldiers did not perfom as expected and panicked which disorganized them, and Alshabab terrorists about 800 in number took advantage to overan the base.
According to the president, many of the soldiers withdrew to the next UPDF Forward Operating Base 9KM away.
Museveni notes that the panick seemed unnecessary since UPDF had just made significant gains against Alshabab; blowing up 3 trucks of explossives outside the base and forcing Alshabab suicide bombers to blow themseves up outside the military base.
