Lawmakers demand withdrawal of Ugandan troops, citing parliament’s lack of approval

Members of parliament during a sitting on Tuesday 11 June, 2024. Credit: Joval Tombe/ office of the speaker

Some members of South Sudan’s Transitional National Legislative Assembly have called for the immediate withdrawal of Ugandan People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) operating in the country without parliamentary approval.

The demand came during deliberations on a joint report by the Committee on Peace and Reconciliation and the Committee on Legislation and Justice. The report, covering April–June 2025, assessed the implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement and recommended the removal of UPDF troops.

Several MPs said the foreign troops are aggravating insecurity within South Sudan and along its borders.

Mathiew Manyuat Mangar (Lakes State, SPLM-IO) said: “The presence of Ugandan forces is actually fueling the crisis in South Sudan. We want these Ugandan forces to be sent back to their country. They are also attacking South Sudanese along the borders. If they have declared war on our people, we must take one position and send a clear message to the executive, because the parliament did not approve their deployment.”

David Yien Bilieth (Jonglei State, SPLM) criticized the executive for bypassing Parliament: “Right Honorable Speaker, we are not against anybody in this country. But we are against the bad laws and malpractice.”

“A huge army from foreign troops came into the country without Parliament’s consent. That is very bad… It is very important for this Parliament to be acknowledged by the executive. We are not a rubber-stamp. We represent the people.”

Veteran legislator Atem Garang De Dekuek (SPLM) urged the Minister of Defense to appear before the House:

“They can enlighten us about the presence of the Ugandan army here. Is it part of the implementation of the peace agreement? We have to understand. The Ministry of Interior should also brief us on security developments from January to November.”

With the report adopted, Parliament is expected to summon the relevant ministries for explanations before taking further action