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President Museveni Set for High-Stakes Visit to South Sudan

Published

2 months ago

April 4, 2025

Admin

President Museveni is expected to travel to South Sudan tomorrow for a crucial meeting with President Salva Kiir, amid escalating political and security tensions in the country.

While the State House remains tight-lipped about the details of the visit, reliable sources confirm that the Ugandan leader will be in Juba on Friday.

Separately, the presidential press secretary Sandor Walusimbi confirmed to the Nile Post that the head of state had left for the restive youngest nation in the world.

Museveni’s visit comes at a time when South Sudan is facing severe turmoil due to internal conflicts within Kiir’s government.

President Kiir has recently fallen out with his First Vice President Riek Machar, leading to the latter and his wife Angelina Teny being placed under house arrest.

The deepening crisis threatens to unravel the fragile peace agreement that ended the country’s bloody civil war (2013-2018), during which Kiir’s forces, predominantly ethnic Dinka, clashed with Machar’s largely Nuer forces.

President Museveni’s visit is expected to focus on de-escalating tensions and seeking a resolution to the current political impasse.

Our sources revealed that Museveni will push for a renewed dialogue between Kiir and Machar, as well as address concerns over Uganda’s military presence in South Sudan.

However, given the deep-seated animosity between the two leaders, it remains uncertain whether Museveni’s intervention will yield any meaningful progress

Last week, Raila Odinga, the African Union’s High Representative for Infrastructure Development who doubles as Kenyan President William Ruto’s Special Envoy for South Sudan, visited Juba in an attempt to mediate between Kiir and Machar.

However, his efforts failed after he was denied a meeting with Machar. Odinga would travel back home via Entebbe for a meeting with Museveni.

He claimed that he had been asked by the Kiir government to seek permission from Museveni if he was to meet Machar, an allegation the South Sudan presidency has since strongly disputed.

The fallout between Kiir and Machar has been exacerbated by disputes over the peace implementation process, security force control, and the allocation of government positions.

Tensions escalated further last month when Uganda deployed its elite forces into South Sudan, a move that sparked criticism from Machar and his allies.

Machar has accused Uganda of violating international agreements by deploying troops and launching airstrikes against civilian targets in Upper Nile and Jonglei states.

In a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Machar called for the immediate withdrawal of Ugandan forces, arguing that their presence undermines South Sudan’s transition to democracy and threatens to reignite conflict.

In early March, Kiir ordered the arrest of several senior officials linked to Machar, including Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol and Deputy Army Chief Gabriel Doup Lam. Other military officials allied with Machar have been placed under house arrest.

The crackdown followed violent clashes in Nasir, a strategic northern town, where government forces battled the White Army militia—an armed Nuer group that fought alongside Machar’s forces during the civil war.

Tensions further escalated on March 7, when an attack on a military base in Nasir County resulted in the death of General Majur Dak Thel and several officers. President Kiir blamed Machar’s forces for the attack, further deepening the rift.

The situation worsened when Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, confirmed the deployment of Ugandan commandos into South Sudan under the operation code-named ‘Mlinzi wa Kimya.’

In a social media post, Gen. Muhoozi praised the Ugandan Air Force for striking enemy positions, confirming Uganda’s active military engagement in South Sudan.

Machar has urged the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the United Nations Security Council to intervene and pressure Uganda to withdraw its troops.

He argues that Uganda’s military presence violates UN Security Council Resolution 2428 (2018), which imposed an arms embargo on South Sudan and was recently extended by Resolution 2731 (2024).

The government, however, has historically defended its military interventions in South Sudan as necessary to maintain regional stability.

Uganda played a key role in supporting Kiir’s government during the 2013-2018 civil war, deploying troops to prevent the capital, Juba, from falling to Machar’s forces.

As the situation in South Sudan continues to deteriorate, the outcome of Museveni’s visit could have significant implications for the region’s stability.

The international community will be closely watching the developments in Juba, hoping for a peaceful resolution to prevent another outbreak of violence in Africa’s youngest nation.

News

JAGO: Elect Leaders Who Will Support Vision & Culture of Jopadhola

Published

7 hours ago

June 7, 2025

Nkwanga Xavia

Tororo, Uganda | The Prime Minister (Jago) of the Padhola Cultural Institution (TACI) has hailed President Yoweri Museveni for the elevation of Tororo Municipality to city status and the creation of more districts but warned that the success of these plans depends on electing leaders who “are progressive and supportive of our cultural values.”

“This is an election season; let’s elect leaders who are supportive of the cultural institution pillars of unity, peace, and development,” said Jago Richard Josel Obbo in a press release.

Obbo warned that those undermining the TACI and the Jopadhola people’s ideals should be avoided and shunned altogether.

“Let’s equally avoid the tendency of violence as we campaign for our respective candidates,” he cautioned.

Congratulations, Tororo!

Jago Obbo also clarified that the new third district for Tororo, which is yet to be named, will be in Kisoko despite confusion over the matter recently.

“I congratulate the people of Tororo, Bukedi, and Ugandans in general upon the recent achievements we have registered, that is, the elevation of Tororo Municipality to city status and the creation of more districts of Mukuju and Mulanda,” he said.

Jago Obbo said Kisoko has always been the county headquarters of the greater Budama, West Budama, and now the West Budama North and Northeast Counties.

“Kisoko is endowed with vast land that can hold a district headquarters in addition to expanding other developmental activities, as the government may prioritize from time to time. I urge the people of Padhola to be united on this matter and shun those trying to confuse.”

He said that all the consultative meetings with different stakeholders in Tororo, who included the Kwar Adhola, Padhola Elders, Chairpersons LC 3, district leaders, councilors, and members of parliament, agreed and signed a joint memorandum that Kisoko would be the district headquarters.

“The confusion and last-minute change in mind came when one of the leaders who had always been invited for these meetings and never attended rose from the State House and proposed that the district headquarters would be agreed upon later. As leaders, we should avoid serving parochial interests; we cannot be seen to be double-minded and serving selfish interests against the larger masses,” Jago warned.

Schools and Rain

Jago Obbo called on parents in Padhola to endeavor to take all school-going children back to school without exception.

“In case a parent or guardian has financial or requirement challenges, please visit the schools and negotiate with the administration such that the children do not miss out on the academic activities,” he said.

On livelihoods, Obbo said the rains have remained consistent this season. “Let’s continue taking advantage of the rains and plant fast-maturing crops to support our families both at subsistence and commercial levels.”

He revealed that TACI is currently mobilizing all residents of Tororo to embrace government programs, especially immunization of children against malaria.

“I urge all people to send their children right from birth to two years of age for immunization, such that they remain healthy while growing,”.