KAMPALA: The Ugandan army has secretly deployed at least 200 soldiers in the West African State of Equatorial Guinea.
According to military sources, the troops were deployed in batches to protect African’s longest serving President Teodoro Obiang Nguema.
The first batch left early this year with their weapons. According to military sources, they are commanded by Lt. Col. Wycleff Keita who returned from Somalia last year. He was working as the commander of the Ugandan troops guarding UN installations in Somalia.
EagleOnline could not get response from the army because the phone number of the army spokesperson, Brig Richard Karemire was off.
It’s not clear under what arrangement UPDF deployed. According to the Ugandan Constitution of 1995, deployment of soldiers outside the country must be approved by parliament.
This deployment is likely cause a clash between Parliament and the President who has sent the soldiers without parliamentary approval.
President Nguema’s son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue is the First Vice President and Minister of Defence. He is seen as a likely successor of the father.
President Museveni and Nguema have been so close. According to military sources, President Nguema requested his Ugandan counterpart to offer him security because Guinean national army is ill-equipped and poorly trained.
Equatorial Guinea has also offered refuge to the Gambian President Yahaya Jammeh.
