By Matik Kueth
The Minister of Information, Communication, Technology, and Postal Services, Michael Makuei, has confirmed the presence of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) in Juba.
Addressing a press conference in Juba on Monday, Makuei noted that the UPDF is in South Sudan with the government’s approval.
He stated that the agreement initially struck to support collaborative operations against the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), enables Uganda to deploy troops in South Sudan to safeguard territorial integrity.
“UPDF is Ugandan People’s Defense Forces. It is at present here in Juba. And you have seen it. Even though some fake footages are being shown, like what happened in the airport at that time when we talked, that was not the Juba International Airport. It was a fake, something collected somewhere and then brought,” Makuei stated.
He added, “But at present, the UPDF is present here in Juba. Why is it present here in Juba? It is present here in Juba because the government of South Sudan and the government of Uganda have a military pact. A military pact that was signed since the time of LRA.”
Makuei said the UPDF were brought to Juba to support the SSPDF in case of any incident that might occur.
“So, the UPDF that arrived here in Juba are support units and technical units. Support units and technical units, they have come to support their brothers and sisters in the SSPDF. I am saying this because it is not a secret. Some people believe that it is a secret. Yes, it is supposed to be a secret in terms of security, in terms of cooperation between the two armies, it is supposed to be confidential,” he stressed.
He pointed out that the fighting in Nasir will continue until the white army evacuates the government’s military barracks, they have occupied.
The information minister further warned that the conflict may disrupt the smooth implementation of the revived peace accord.
“These are forces that are there to interrupt and engage the people of South Sudan on other issues so that people do not pay attention to the implementation of the agreement. There are those who fish in the dirty water, and there are those who fish in the clean water. Those who fish in the clean water are those who do not want to be known,” he noted.
The presence of the UPDF in South Sudan circulated on social media last week after Gen. Mahoozi, the army chief of the UPDF posted on his X-platform that the forces were deployed in Juba to protect President Salva Kiir.
A photo showing Ugandan troops somewhere in South Sudan [Photo – Courtesy]
The move came after the SSPDF military barrack in Wech-Yar-Adiu in Nasir County, Upper Nile State was overrun by area armed youth known as the “White Army” on March 3, 2025.
The attack led to the killing of 31 SSPDF soldiers, including the SSPDF’s area commander and a UN helicopter staff.
The government accused the SPLM/A-IO of instigating the clashes in Nasir since the white army had supported the SPLA-IO in the 2013 conflict before the Revitalized Peace Agreement.
However, in the aftermath of these clashes, several politicians associated with the SPLA-IO were arrested on March 4th. Among those arrested were Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, the chief of staff for the SPLA-IO, on unspecified charges, and Puot Kang Chol, the minister of petroleum, around midnight on March 5 in Juba.
According to Makuei, the SPLM-IO officials were arrested in Juba because they were suspected of coordinating efforts to fuel the conflict with the white army, as seen on some social media videos of some white army members chanting the SPLM-IO’s slogan (SPLA-IO Viva), an accusation that the SPLM-IO denied as untrue.
On Sunday night, an airstrike struck the town of Nasir, causing massive destruction to the area and killing 21 people, according to reports.
Nasir County Commissioner, James Gatluak told King Media in an interview that an aircraft dropped multiple bombs on the town’s airstrip and surrounding areas at around 11:40 pm.
He accused the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), or the national army, of carrying out the strike in vindication of recent fighting in Nasir.
Gatluak also stressed that Longechuk County in Upper Nile State was bombarded on the same night (Sunday), though no injuries were reported.
Videos shared on social media showed flames engulfing houses in the heart of Nasir town.
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Regional appeal
On March 8th, 2025, the African Union and IGAD urged the leaders of South Sudan to prioritize the safety of humanitarian and peacekeeping operations after the Nasir clashes between the SSPDF and the white army.
On March 12th, 2025, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), appealed for the urgent release of SPLM-IO officials allied to South Sudan’s FVP Dr. Riek Machar, amid mounting tensions following violent clashes in Nasir County, Upper Nile State.
The virtual summit held by Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh cautioned that the ongoing detention of the officials jeopardizes the country’s peace deal.
On the other hand, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) also condemned the attack as a serious violation of international law and called for accountability.
It also called on the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) to conduct a verification mission in Nasir County, emphasizing the importance of a full report with recommendations to prevent future ceasefire violations.