Kampala (WDN) — Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has once again publicly criticized Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, accusing him of failing to resolve the political disputes between his government and the opposition.

In remarks published by African Intelligence, Museveni reportedly warned that Uganda could withdraw its troops from Somalia if President Hassan fails to reach a political settlement with his opponents.

This is not the first time Museveni has attempted to pressure the Somali president over the country’s deepening political crisis, particularly the dispute over elections and the political transition following the expiration of Hassan’s constitutional mandate.

The latest warning follows a previous summit hosted by Museveni in Kampala, where an attempt was reportedly made to include Somalia’s internal political dispute in the meeting’s final communiqué. President Hassan strongly objected, arguing that Somalia’s domestic political affairs should not be addressed in a forum involving foreign governments.

Hassan reportedly made his position clear during the summit, telling Museveni and the conference organizers that Somalia’s internal political disagreements were a matter for Somalis to resolve. He immediately demanded that the reference be removed from the communiqué, and the disputed language was subsequently dropped.

Museveni’s latest intervention therefore represents a renewed attempt to exert political pressure on Mogadishu by linking Uganda’s military presence in Somalia to progress in the country’s political dialogue.

Uganda remains an important troop-contributing country to Somalia’s international security mission, making any threat of withdrawal potentially significant for the country’s already fragile security environment.

However, President Hassan appears unlikely to welcome external involvement in negotiations with Somalia’s opposition. His position so far has been that disputes over elections, constitutional arrangements and the political transition should be resolved through a Somali-led process rather than through pressure or mediation by individual foreign governments.

Museveni’s comments nevertheless underscore the growing international concern over Somalia’s unresolved political crisis and the potential consequences it could have for both governance and security.

WardheerNews