By Obed K. Katureebe
In 2007, President Yoweri Museveni made a bold decision to deploy UPDF members to then-troubled Somalia. This followed the formation of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia in Nairobi, Kenya, between October and November 2004, after nearly two years of peace talks mediated by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). At the time, the TFG was operating out of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.
The TFG united all rival factions in Somalia, except the radical Islamic group Al-Shabaab, which controlled most of the country, including the capital, Mogadishu. Somalia had been ungovernable for years and was considered a graveyard for foreign forces attempting to enforce peace. Various militia groups, led by Al-Shabaab, wreaked havoc on the population, making Somalia one of the most dangerous places to live in the world.
The United States faced severe challenges in 1993 when it attempted to enforce peace in the country. U.S. forces fought Somali militia allied to the late Mohamed Farrah Aidid in Mogadishu during the “Black Hawk Down” operation, losing 18 soldiers with more than 80 wounded. The U.S. withdrew shortly after, leaving Somalia in continued instability.
Somalia was widely regarded as a failed state, and when President Museveni chose to deploy the UPDF to enforce peace, few believed the mission could succeed. Most commentators—particularly in the political opposition and academia—predicted the UPDF would fail.
Opposition politician and journalist Semujju Nganda, speaking on the talk show Kiriza Oba Ggaana on Central Broadcasting Services (CBS) FM, voiced strong scepticism. He reportedly declared that he would slaughter a chicken for every UPDF soldier who died in what he described as a flawed Somalia deployment.
To Semujju, the UPDF were acting as hired soldiers who would be defeated by Al-Shabaab and other militias, arguing that the UPDF could not succeed where the U.S. had failed. His comments drew widespread criticism. Many citizens and political figures condemned the statement, viewing it as insensitive to fallen servicemen and their families.
President Yoweri Museveni, guided by a commitment to pan-Africanism, proceeded with the deployment despite the criticism. Confident in the armed forces’ capabilities, he sent UPDF men and women to Somalia, where they delivered significant results.
The UPDF pushed Al-Shabaab out of Mogadishu after intense fighting in 2007. The town of Buula Burde in Hiraan, south-central Somalia, was liberated in March 2014. Bariire Town, a strategic location in Lower Shabelle, was recaptured during joint operations, including Operation Silent Storm. Other key towns, including Awdheegle, Sadiid, Anole, Mubrak Town, and Darusalaam in Lower Shabelle, were also liberated from Al-Shabaab militants by March 2026.
On 2 November 2026, the first batch of the UPDF returned home, marking the end of the deployment in Somalia. They returned with pride after completing their mission to help stabilise the country.
Somalia has since seen a resurgence in business activity. Mogadishu is growing into an international commercial hub, and reconstruction efforts across the country are progressing rapidly, a transformation supported by the UPDF’s contributions.
Other nations, including Burundi, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia, and the U.S., also joined later to help restore order in Somalia. However, the UPDF carried out the initial, high-risk operational groundwork before other forces joined the effort.
This victory came at a high cost, as lives were lost during the mission. The country continues to honour the service members who lost their lives, including those killed during the battle at Bulo Marer Base on 26 May 2023, which marked the deadliest single incident for Ugandan forces during the deployment.
In that attack, Al-Shabaab militants detonated suicide car bombs before storming a fortified UPDF-manned ATMIS base in Bulo Marer, Lower Shabelle. President Yoweri Museveni later confirmed that 54 Ugandan soldiers died in the attack.
Another major engagement occurred during the Janaale Base attack on 1 September 2015, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the death of former Al-Shabaab leader Ahmed Godane. Hundreds of militants launched a coordinated assault on a remote UPDF outpost in Janaale. The insurgents destroyed a strategic bridge to cut off reinforcements and exit routes, resulting in heavy casualties and missing personnel.
Despite these setbacks, the UPDF completed its mission to combat Al-Shabaab and help stabilise Somalia within the international community. Uganda welcomes its troops home with honour and pride. The writer works with the Uganda Media Centre. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
