Museveni walks tightrope on Juba as security interests meet peace push
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni (right) and AU High Representative for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea Jakaya Kikwete shake hands during talks on the South Sudan peace process at Nakasero State Lodge in Kampala, Uganda, on April 7, 2026.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni faces a policy dilemma over South Sudan, balancing security and economic interests with calls for dialogue. Uganda’s military backs President Salva Kiir’s coalition in the unity government against opposition-linked militias, even as Kampala publicly urges a negotiated settlement to the conflict.
The tension comes as regional and African Union (AU) efforts intensify to revive South Sudan’s fragile peace process. Concern is mounting over the viability of the unity government, with First Vice President Riek Machar and other opposition figures detained for more than a year.
