At least 54 bodies of UPDF soldiers were found lifeless by their colleagues during an operation to recapture the Buulo Mareer Base from the Al-Shabaab terrorists in Somalia on Tuesday.
The base had fallen to the terrorists who used a lapse in the command to overrun the base, kill and allegedly capture some UPDF soldiers alive.
While the Ugandan authorities had kept the numbers secret, President Museveni in his engagement with members of the NRM caucus in Kyankwanzi revealed that 54 soldiers were discovered lifeless including their commander Lt Col Edward Nyororo.
Lt Col Edward Nyororo had been the commanding officer deputising Brig Gaetano Peter Omola who was away in Mogadishu when the attack happened.
“Our soldiers demonstrated remarkable resilience and reorganized themselves, resulting in the recapture of the base by Tuesday,” President Museveni announced today during the ongoing 10-day NRM Parliamentary Caucus retreat at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi.
The President further revealed that during the operation, the UPDF discovered the lifeless bodies of fifty-four (54) fallen soldiers, including that of one Commander Nyororo.
“Although unfortunate, this incident serves as a lesson to all. The mistake was made by two commanders, Maj. Oluka and Maj. Obbo, who ordered the soldiers to retreat. They have been apprehended and will face charges in the Court Martial,” President Museveni explained.
In addition, the President highlighted that the terrorists attempted to launch an attack on Baraawe Town but were repelled by the UPDF, resulting in their retreat.
“They made an ill-fated attempt on Baraawe, but our forces dealt a significant blow, forcing them to flee,” he mentioned.
President Museveni also emphasized that corruption played a major role in the problem, citing the promotion of a soldier responsible for managing an army shop to a commanding position.
“This is a prime example of the corruption we must address. You, the young generation, have a valuable opportunity to learn from the best practices of the National Resistance Army (NRA). We are here to guide you. Many lives were lost, and we have documented our history. If you’re interested, you can understand why Uganda emerged as it did,” advised President Museveni.
