Uganda: Soldier jailed over Somalia affair Yasiin Mugerwa Monday, October 26, 2009

Kampala, Uganda (Daily Monitor) - A UPDF soldier who impregnated a Somali woman, Ms Omar Ninho, has become the first victim of the violation of an executive order for the African Union peacekeepers in conflict-ridden Somalia not to engage in love affairs.

The Court Martial sitting at the General Headquarters Bombo last week convicted a Warrant Officer II, Joshua Asisa to one-and-a half years in imprisonment after it found him guilty of impregnating Ms Ninho while on a peace-keeping mission in Somalia. Ms Ninho’s age was not disclosed.

According to the army Spokesperson Lt Col Felix Kulayigye, indulging Somali Women into any sexual conduct, tantamounts to a mischief and “contravenes the AMISOM Operation Standing Procedures and to the prejudice of the good order and discipline of the UPDF.”

“The Court Martial, chaired by Brig. Steven Kashaka, ruled that WOII Asisa was guilty of conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline contrary to the UPDF Act,”Mr Kulayigye said in a statement.

He added: “(WOII Asisa) was tried on October 20, 2009, found guilty, and sentenced to one-and-a-half years’ detention at Makindye Military Police Barracks Prison.”

President’s warning

Flagging off the UPDF peace-keepers to Somalia in March 2007, President Museveni warned the soldiers against illicit love affairs with Somali women.

“I have heard that you went to doctors who found out that you do not have these dudus (read HIV/AIDS). Take care of your lives when you go to Somalia,” Mr Museveni told his soldiers. Sitting on the Court Martial that tried WOII Asisa’s case were Capt. LR Otaget as judge advocate, Elizabeth Kodil Nyasingwa as presecutor, Lt Fred Wairugala as defence lawyer and Lt DD Epalu as court secretary.

The biggest AU peace-keepers’ mission to Somalia is to empower the Somalis to rebuild their state and their army and disarm any group still holding guns illegally. However, there are unconfirmed reports that some UPDF soldiers occasionally take time off to engage in illicit love, in total breach of the rules. An AU peacekeeping force of 4,300 troops from Uganda and Burundi is propping up the Somali government, which is trembling under a fierce onslaught by Islamist insurgents, al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam.

Also the peacekeepers have faced repeated accusations of responding to roadside bombs and other attacks by randomly opening fire on civilians.