Ugandans are mourning after a dastardly terrorist attack in Kampala left more than 70 people dead and several others injured. Somali terrorist organization linked to Al Qaeda, Al Shabab claimed responsibility and blamed the attack on Uganda’s decision to deploy troops in Mogadishu as part of an African Union peace keeping mission.
Al Shabab has promised more attacks if Kampala doesn’t withdraw its troops from Mogadishu and extended its verbal warning to Burundi, another East African Community member country which has deployed troops in Somalia.
Somalia is close to being declared as a failed state or at least some are already claiming so but the AU mission which has gathered troops from some countries to maintain authority in some parts of the Horn of Africa nation.
Many AU members including Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania have not deployed troops to Mogadishu because of several feeble excuses which consider the Somali problem as not being part of our security in the region.
But looking at what has happened in Kampala, it’s clear that we need to rethink our selfishness because Somali insecurity and proliferation of hard line groups like Al Shabab, poses a great risk to the EAC region other than Americans or Europeans.
A failed Somali state will not only threaten the Americans or British and Ethiopians, but all of us especially EAC countries that share a common border with the troubled Horn of Africa country.
We should deal with this problem now by sending troops and equipment to this troubled nation and help the government of the day govern the bigger part of the country or risk falling prey like the Ugandans.
We should fight these terrorists while away from our borders instead of waiting to see a failed Somali state which will mean that the country becomes a breeding ground for world class terrorists who will terrorise our children.
Ugandans and Burundians have shown the way for EAC and the rest of us must follow or wait until such time when bombs will be exploding in Dar es Salaam, Kigali and Nairobi like is the case in Iraq and Pakistan.
It’s all about integrity my friend simbaye. I think some of these guys who refused to put kibash on Vijana (alshababu), Thugs. My take on the piece is that, Burundi and Uganda have strong backbone, not scary cat or Mnyonyaji. Rwanda enjoy spotline on development, ok how you gonna limit investment in your own country only. The only way to survive in east africa is through peace. These Alshababu is unemployment problem. Too many war have past in the last ten years. No jobs, that’s why you see pirates. We are so commingle with somalis, they are our next door neighber. Let’s incorporate somalia in the East African Communities. I am sure most somalis would love that!. Then alshababu got big fish to chew, and we turn them into interprenurs, that what somalis care the most. They are normadic people. But tell them we gonna be watching, like in a perole for like 5, years. plus a wife and kids. the rest you will see repent from god, whoever your god is. These Alshababi has transgressed against their souls, the just need to read Koran carefully. OK, I guarantee you this. If Burundi and Uganda get funded. They have capacity to wipe-out Ashkhabad, alshabab wherever,. But guest what, I think somebody in the neighborhood could have benefiting out of this. Last month fifteen people have been killed in Burundi. All to bring trouble back to Burundi and internal pressure to the mantra of bring the troops home. Keep an eye over there,
The biggest industries in EAC is Manning and Drugs, and I mean Cocaine, Opium etc. even pharmaceutical is also big. So do your research and follow the money trails. Why do the alshabab have money to invest in guns salaries etc. Do no tell me they get it from pirate? Africans elites, including you and me. We have to stop, being quite when you know your neghbor is inderctly killing children for an ecxcuse of survival for the fittest. I am afraid that, what going on in Africa economic wise, surmounting to Darwinian theory of survival for the fittest. I think it’s time to change. No body is going to comitt funding of a solid long term investment in the neighborhood. Contractor would just take your money build an infrastructure. Next infrastructure will suffer a wear and tears after years. So who is going to be there to fix it. and we gonna wind up blaming other people for our misery again. the same way we do know. I live in Africa for 22 years, I have never in my life yet to overwhelming support from western countries. How Genuine? I do not know. I cant read mind, but i will tell we gotta open the villegers eye. the villegers are the majority stake holder of the Jamhuri.