US army colonel Edward Dumpot during the handover of ambulances to Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre centre in Jinja City on July 1, 2020. PHOTO/FILE/US Mission
Uganda security agencies will be watching closely to know whether they will have to deal with Donald Trump, the candidate for the Republican Party, or Kamala Harris of the Democratic Party, for the next four years.
Americans cast their votes today to choose the next president for four years, but their choices will have a huge impact on the security of Uganda, some 13,874 kilometres away.
Uganda security agencies will be watching closely to know whether they will have to deal with former US president Donald Trump, the candidate for the Republican Party, or Vice President Kamala Harris of the Democratic Party, for the next four years.
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At least Uganda security agencies have a clue of the policies of each of the two presidential candidates since one has been a former president for four years and the other a vice president for the same period.
In January 2018, President Museveni expressed admiration of Mr Trump, who he believes speaks out his mind and his policies that allow African countries to resolve their own internal problems.
Since then, President Museveni has shown affection for Mr Trump and he conveyed his sympathies to him after an assassination attempt in July this year.
Like President Museveni, Mr Trump believes in strengthening the military.
In his manifesto, Mr Trump promises to spend more on the military to ensure what he dubbed as return to peace through strength.
Mr Trump promised to fight terrorism, a subject that is key in Uganda’s security strategy.
“The Republican plan is to return peace through strength, rebuilding our military and alliances, countering China, defeating terrorism, building an Iron Dome Missile Defence Shield, promoting American values, securing our homeland and borders, and reviving our Defence Industrial Base.
“We will build a military bigger, better, and stronger than ever before. Our full commitment is to protecting America and ensuring a safe and prosperous future for all,” states Mr Trump’s manifesto.
In 2020, Mr Trump withdrew US troops from Somalia and reduced funding for the peacekeeping initiatives there.
But President Joe Biden, a Democrat, later reversed Mr Trump’s pull-out orders. President Biden's action turned out to be an important element in downgrading the al-Shabaab militants in Somalia.
The US military drones were critical in preventing the al-Shabaab militants, who had overrun Uganda’s forward base in Somalia and killed 54 soldiers in May 2023, from running away with weapons they had seized from the base.
In the aftermath of the attack, President Museveni indicated how important the drones of their allies in Somalia would have been, had they acted in time.
But the Democratic Party leaders, including Vice President Harris, had tied military aid to Uganda on observance of human rights, including gay rights.
President Museveni inspects a guard of honour during the pass-out of soldiers in 2023. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA
The US has since cut military aid to Uganda over the enactment of law against gay rights. Several government officials, including the Commissioner General of Prisons, Dr Johnson Byabashaija, were sanctioned on allegations that they were violating human rights.
Although Mr Trump is considered not tough on gay rights, he is tough on those who violate other rights.
It was during Mr Trump’s presidency that the former Inspector General of Police Gen Kale Kayihura was sanctioned for violation of human rights in Uganda.
Should Trump be elected president, Uganda's security agencies will likely receive more funds from the US to fight human trafficking since it is one of Trump’s major plans to ensure immigrants don’t end up in the US.
In his four-year presidency between 2017 and 2020, Mr Trump’s leadership funded many criminal justice system organisations in Uganda.
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The US military drones were critical in preventing the al-Shabab militants, who had overrun Uganda’s forward base in Somalia and killed 54 soldiers in May 2023, from running away with weapons they
