The Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, is set to meet South Sudanese President Salva Kiir as Kampala moves to ease tensions following deadly cross-border clashes between Ugandan and South Sudanese troops in the West Nile region.
Announcing the visit in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gen. Muhoozi strongly defended the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) against accusations of aggression and framed the planned meeting as a step toward de-escalation.
"On South Sudan, it is wrong and treacherous to accuse UPDF of anything nefarious! Mzee [President Museveni] has sent me to meet my Uncle, Afande Salva Kiir, soon. I will go and meet my boss in Juba and we shall resolve the issues," he wrote.
His remarks come in the aftermath of the July 28 skirmish along the disputed Uganda-South Sudan border that left several South Sudanese soldiers and at least one UPDF soldier dead.
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Uganda accuses South Sudanese troops of illegal incursion into Ugandan territory, while Juba claims the UPDF attacked its forces unprovoked in Kajo-Keji County.
The confrontation marks a serious flare-up in a historically fragile zone, despite longstanding military ties between the two nations.
Uganda has repeatedly intervened in South Sudan since the onset of its civil war in 2013--first to bolster President Kiir's government against armed opposition and more recently to suppress internal coup threats, including one reportedly led by former SPLA Chief of Staff Gen Paul Malong in 2017.
Ugandan special forces have also maintained covert deployments in support of Kiir against challenges from opposition leader Riek Machar.
President Museveni's personal involvement in Juba's political reconciliation process, most recently in 2024, underscores Uganda's deep entanglement in its northern neighbor's internal affairs.
The July 28 clash has reignited public scrutiny of Uganda's role. While a joint investigation is underway through a bilateral border demarcation committee, the political stakes remain high, with final border resolutions not expected until at least 2027.
South Sudanese officials have expressed outrage over the incident. Lt. Gen. Rabi Mujung Emmanuel, Governor of Central Equatoria State, called the attack "unprovoked" and offered condolences to the families of the slain South Sudanese soldiers.
"It is with profound sorrow that I extend heartfelt condolences to the families, comrades, and loved ones of the brave South Sudanese soldiers who lost their lives... in the unprovoked tragic incident involving the UPDF," Lt Gen Mujung said in a July 31 statement.
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Meanwhile, General Muhoozi's social media activity has fanned controversy. In a flurry of five posts between late July and early August, he reaffirmed loyalty to President Kiir and issued veiled threats against rivals.
"We the UPDF, only recognise ONE President of South Sudan, HE Salva Kiir... Any move against him is a declaration of war against Uganda," Muhoozi posted, referencing instability in the Nasir region.
Another post drew widespread condemnation across civil society for targeting the Nuer ethnic group, whose members form a core support base of opposition leader Riek Machar.
"I am tired of killing Nuer... Tell your leader Riek Machar to come and kneel down before 'our' President HE Salva Kiir," Muhoozi wrote, prompting concern over ethnic incitement and Uganda's neutrality.
In another post, Muhoozi showcased Uganda's wider regional military footprint: "Whatever we have done in Eastern DRC, South Sudan, and Somalia is only a fraction of what we are capable of as a military; we haven't even begun to fight."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that diplomatic efforts are underway to organise formal talks between Kampala and Juba aimed at defusing tensions and clarifying military boundaries.
Despite the mounting pressure, Gen Muhoozi maintained Uganda's commitment to peace in his final remarks.
"The UPDF has always defended the people of Uganda and supported peace in the region. I will do my part," he stated.
Whether his upcoming meeting with Kiir can reverse the current diplomatic spiral remains to be seen--but the stakes, both politically and militarily, have rarely been higher.
