Lt. Gen. Katumba Wamala expresses worry over Somalia situation

Commander of the Land Forces in charge of the Ugandan peace keeping Force in Somalia , Lt. Gen. Katumba Wamala has expressed worry that the growing scarcity of basic necessities in Somalia might lead to riots which foreign forces which are thin on the ground might fail to contain.

He says the current situation urgently requires intervention of international organizations if it is not to be blown out of proportion.

The growing scarcity of basic necessities in Somalia is feared to lead to demonstrations which the foreign peace keeping forces might fail to contain.

At least 10 people perish every day in Somali capital Mogadishu due to lack of food, medical care among other basic requirements.

Commander of the Land Forces in charge of the Ugandan troops in Somalia , Lt. Gen. Katumba Wamala attributes the problem to failure by international organizations including the United Nations to rescue the situation.

Only two out of the six African countries sent troops on a peace keeping mission in Somalia . These include Uganda and Burundi each sending 1700 troops out of 8000 needed for the peace keeping mission.

Some countries like Nigeria have done a reconnaissance in Somalia , but have not yet sent any troops.

Lt General Katumba Wamala reveals that the United Nations sent a team to assess the situation in Somalia before taking up the mission as expected. He says that the foreign forces in Somalia are still under the African Union.

He is in support of the Ugandan government sending another contingent for a peace keeping mission. Katumba said that despite scarcity of basic needs, the Ugandan troops are in a good condition except a few who were brought back because of health problems.

In January, Uganda sent 1700 troops in Somalia to replace the 1600 who had been on the peace keeping mission.