US Senator warns of Uganda’s ‘destabilizing’ role in South Sudan

2026-03-10 - 14:58

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) – The Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee has sounded an alarm over Uganda’s influence in South Sudan, labeling the neighboring regime an “exporter of instability” following a controversial electoral process. In a statement published by the Foreign Relations Committee website, Senator Jim Risch, issued a scathing critique of the recent Ugandan elections, which saw President Yoweri Museveni secure a seventh term. While the statement focused on the erosion of democracy in Kampala, it carried significant implications for Juba’s security and sovereignty. Senator Risch characterized the Ugandan polls as a “hollow exercise” designed to legitimize Museveni’s four decades in power. However, his most pointed remarks for the region concerned Uganda’s interference in neighboring states. “Uganda is also linked to destabilizing regional activities, including in South Sudan—making the regime an increasingly problematic exporter of instability,” Risch stated. The Senator’s comments highlight growing concerns in Washington that the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) priorities domestic control through political violence and the misuse of state resources, which then spills over borders. For years, Uganda has been a primary security partner for the U.S. in East Africa. However, Risch urged the administration to reassess this relationship, citing a trajectory of intimidation and abductions that mirrors recent political crackdowns in Tanzania. The Senator specifically called for a review of whether sanctions are warranted against key figures in the Ugandan establishment, including General Muhoozi Kainerugaba. The warning comes at a delicate time for the East African Community (EAC). With upcoming elections in Ethiopia and Kenya, Risch expressed fear that the “paths” taken by Uganda and Tanzania portend a wider regional shift away from democratic norms. For his part, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has hit back at Washington, rejecting threats that the United States could dismantle its decades-long security pact with Kampala.