KAMPALA – The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) has declared it will not intervene in the internal political turmoil gripping Somalia, following violent clashes sparked by President Sheikh Hassan Mohamud’s controversial extension of his term in office.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Heavy fighting erupted on Wednesday in the capital, Mogadishu, and the city of Baidoa after President Mohamud announced a one-year extension of his presidential term, which expired on May 15, 2026.
The move, backed by parliamentary constitutional changes, was swiftly rejected by the opposition, leading to severe armed confrontations between government forces and opposition-allied militias.
The acting UPDF spokesperson, Col. Chris Magezi, has reaffirmed that Uganda’s forces in Somalia are bound strictly by their mandate under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
He emphasized that Somalia’s internal affairs lie outside the scope of the UPDF mission, which remains focused solely on degrading Al-Shabaab and ISIL affiliates, protecting civilians, and building the capacity of the Somali Security Forces.
“The UPDF mission in Somalia is strictly bound by the AUSSOM mandate, which focuses only on degrading Al-Shabaab and ISIL affiliates, protecting civilians, and building Somali security forces. Somalia’s internal affairs remain outside our scope,” stated Col. Magezi.
Col. Magezi’s comments come as Somali nationals, reportedly allied with various opposition leaders, take up arms against President Mohamud’s government and his Turkish supporters.
President Mohamud made history as Somalia’s first post-civil war leader to win a second, non-consecutive term, having first served from 2012 to 2017 before being re-elected on May 15, 2022.
His latest attempt to stay in power has drawn fierce resistance from prominent opposition figures like former President Sheikh Sharif and former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, who oppose what they call an unconstitutional extension of his term.
Mohamud allegedly wants to introduce one-person-one-vote elections instead of the current clan-based system, but Somalia has not held a direct popular vote since 1969 and has been shattered by civil war for over thirty years.
Uganda was the first country to deploy troops to Somalia in March 2007 under the African Union mission, and now under AUSSOM, the UPDF leads Sector One, which includes the capital Mogadishu and other critical areas.
The UPDF controls key parts of Mogadishu, securing the international airport, State House, and Parliament. Uganda also has a strong presence in the Lower Shabelle region, protecting important agricultural zones and towns such as Mubarak Town, Darusalam, Awdheegle, Bariire, Sabiid, Caanole, and Hawaadley.
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