MOGADISHU —The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) personnel serving under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) hosted Eid al‑Fitr gatherings in Mogadishu’s Sector One and the suburb of Aribiska, using the festival to spotlight a rare stretch of calm in the capital and deepen ties with Somali civilians.
At Sector One headquarters, the African Union Commission Chairperson’s Special Representative, Ambassador Hadji Ibrahima Diene, told troops and guests that the “peace and stability enjoyed during Ramadan did not come by chance,” crediting “sacrifice, commitment and professionalism” of AUSSOM forces. He urged continued discipline and respect for local culture as Uganda, Burundi, Kenya and other contingents back Somali security.
Uganda’s Deputy Ambassador to Somalia, Maj Gen (Rtd) Nathan Mugisha, noted this was the first Ramadan since Uganda’s 2007 deployment without an Al‑Shabaab attack in Mogadishu—a milestone he tied to improved intelligence sharing, night patrols and community warnings. “That quiet reflects hard lessons learned,” he said, “but vigilance must not ease.”
Force Commander Lt Gen Sam Kavuma congratulated Muslim faithful and ordered troops to maintain operational tempo. “We must strengthen coordination, keep pressure, and deny Al‑Shabaab any space to reorganise,” he said, citing joint cordon‑and‑search missions with the Somali National Army (SNA) in rural Lower Shabelle last month.
For the Ugandan contingent, Brig Gen Jackson Kayanja framed Eid as outreach: daytime fasting by many soldiers, visits to Mogadishu markets without incident, and iftar gifts to widows and orphans. “The community’s solidarity sustains us,” he told elders and officers at the banquet.
Somali voices echoed thanks. Capt Halima Ahmed Asseir, speaking for residents, praised President Yoweri Museveni for Uganda’s “consistent” deployment and humanitarian convoys, promising Somalis would remember the sacrifices “when peace is full.”
In Aribiska, Battle Group 46 held a separate dinner. Commander Col Saul Nabimanya lauded the SNA’s Danab commandos for coordinated raids that kept roads open during Ramadan, and highlighted troop‑level acts—water distribution, medical aid—that build trust. SNA Lt Muhammad Abdu Rasid BK called the partnership “strong and growing,” while Private Wasika Umar, head of Aribiska’s Muslim committee, thanked the UPDF for “compassion and engagement” through the holy month.
Attendees ranged from Sector One deputy Col Francis Aragamoi Obita to local elders, junior soldiers and SNA officers, sharing a meal of rice, goat stew and Somali sweets.
The Eid events underscore AUSSOM’s two‑track approach as Ugandan and Somali forces plan a shift toward Somali‑led security: combat operations paired with civil‑military projects—school repairs, boreholes, mosque renovations—intended to win public support before AU funding cycles tighten later this year.
While Al‑Shabaab still launches rural raids, the absence of Ramadan‑month bloodshed in Mogadishu offers Somali officials—and Ugandan troops far from home—brief space to celebrate, breakfast, and project confidence that incremental gains can hold.
