Uganda and its security challenges

Having already suffered one al-Shabaab attack – the bombing of Kampala in 2010 – Uganda remains one of the states most at threat from future terrorism, due to both its close proximity to Somalia and its participance in the AMISOM counter-terror mission, supplying the largest contingent of forces.

We have asked our intelligence analyst to look into what is happening there and give us some thoughts. Here they are. If you have a subject you would like us to look at in depth, please contact us at [email protected]

The Westgate shopping mall massacre in Nairobi, and the alliance between al-Shabaab and al-Qaeda, have renewed fears that Islamist militancy is set to expand across East Africa and Uganda will be a prime target for any such campaign for as long as the AMISOM mission continues.

Security was stepped up following reports that a similar attack to the Westgate Mall was to be made in Uganda, and the country’s security threat rating is at maximum. It is estimated that the likeliest targets of future attacks will be those areas/facilities frequented by tourists and mass crowds, so as to ensure the highest casualty rates.

However, the success or failure of any future attack will be down to the preparedness and abilities of the police and security services to act before any incident is allowed to unfold. Members of Uganda’s police force travelled to Nairobi to examine the aftermath and see what lessons they could learn for Kampala’s own security, but a greater effort is needed across the entire police, military and security service spectrum to ensure that Uganda remains safe.

Given that there is an increasing risk of terrorists not simply making a quick strike across the border and retreating back into Somalia, but embedding themselves for a long period within a country and conducting operations from within, the biggest threat is for cells to become institutionalised within the state and away from the gaze of the authorities.

RPS would like to acknowledge the use of the following for information sourced within this article with thanks:

“Uganda raises security alert to maximum” by Anon, Al-Jazeera, 2013
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/10/uganda-raises-security-alert-maximum-2013101941824898865.html

Photo: uganda.ru