UPDF DEPLOYMENT ENHANCES SECURITY AT UGANDA-SOUTH SUDAN BORDER

Lt Col Isaac Obong the UPDF 69 battalion commander in Yumbe addressing the Yumbe district council recently. Photo by Robert Elema 
 
By Robert Elema

YUMBE

The deployment of the Uganda People Defense Forces (UPDF) at Uganda-South Sudan border has stabilized the security situation in the area, the security officials have revealed.
 
The security situation at the borders over the past months had been volatile which resulted into the deployment of the UPDF.
 
While addressing the Yumbe district council on security matters recently, Lt. Col. Isaac Obong the UPDF commanding Officer of the 69 battalion said, the security situation at the borders had not been good in the recent past months as such, he was in February deployed to guard the borders and oversee the security situation in Yumbe.
 
"We have had some tension especially at the border with South Sudan in Kerwa Sub County. When I came to Yumbe, I had to go direct to Kerwa and spend a month with uninterrupted attention on security situation until now, the situation has come down," he said.
 
"The issue that brings tension at the borders is the border conflict which is being handled at a higher level by our leadership between Uganda and South Sudan but mine and yours is the security, wealth of our people and avoid incursion of hostilities from individuals or groups of people illegally into Yumbe district which may cause instability within Yumbe and Uganda in general," he added.
 
Lt Col Obong pledged to maintain security at the borders and appealed to all the stakeholders in the district to be vigilant and report any suspicious object or groups of people for action
 
Mr. Kassim Asiku the Yumbe district speaker said, the issue of security at the borders has been giving a lot of headache to the population and the leadership of Yumbe district.
 
"What is required in this district doesn't now need speeches but action which is being demonstrated by the new commanding officer. We therefore want to thank God so much for having convinced the higher leadership of the UPDF to deploy a person your caliber(Lt Col Obong) to this district and I think within the shortest period of time, you will be able to cause leverage between Yumbe district and our brothers and sisters from South Sudan," he said.
 
Mr. Abdulmutwalib Asiku the district chairperson said there has been a lot of challenge at the borders especially in the sub-counties of Kerwa, Midigo, Wandi and Kochi where properties of the local residents are being looted, animals raided, abduction of people among other issues.
 
"Our people at the borders have suffered a lot in the hands of the individuals from South Sudan but since the coming of the new UPDF battalion commander, the situation has normalized and we needed a person of his caliber to stabilize our borders," he said.
 
Mr. Mathew Vuyaya Vuni the Yumbe deputy Resident District Commissioner said, "I would like to appreciate the battalion commander for bringing sanity to our brothers and sisters on the other side of South Sudan because they do certain things deliberately. These people are hard to deal with so you know how to handle them in the best language you know other than us".
 
In the annual joint border security meeting being organized between the leaders of West Nile sub region and Central equatorial state officials in South Sudan, the issue of security at the borders had been featuring sharply.
 
Mr. Anthony Emmanuel Adil the governor of central Equatoria state in one of the recent joint security meetings said, they remained committed to engaging the people and districts of West Nile sub region to maintain sustainable border relations.
 
He said, "The criminal and rebel activities undermine the commitment made by our presidents to maintain healthy relationships. Our annual joint security meetings organized should strengthen our commitment to continue engaging our communities and government at various levels in building harmonious relationships".