MOGADISHU, Somalia — August 29, 2026 — Uganda’s military chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has repeated that all Ugandan troops will leave Somalia by August 1, 2027, setting a firm deadline that could end Kampala’s two-decade military deployment as the African Union mission faces a deepening funding crisis.

“We are withdrawing completely from Somalia by the 1st of August 2027,” Kainerugaba, commander of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, said in a post on X. He added that no UPDF soldiers would remain in Somalia after that date. Kainerugaba’s official X account⁠

The general did not explain how the withdrawal would be conducted or whether the deadline had been formally approved by the government of President Yoweri Museveni, who is Uganda’s commander-in-chief.

His announcement raises questions about the future protection of Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport and the nearby Halane compound, which accommodates foreign embassies, United Nations offices, African Union facilities and other international organisations.

Somali officials seek continued Ugandan presence

Officials familiar with discussions at the Somali presidency said federal authorities had recently asked Uganda to continue securing the airport and Halane area under a separate arrangement financed by Mogadishu.

According to the officials, representatives of the presidency told Ugandan officials attached to the African Union mission two days before Kainerugaba’s latest statement that Somalia was prepared to seek funding for the continued deployment.

The officials also claimed that Villa Somalia had approached several Arab countries for financial assistance to support Ugandan troops assigned to strategic locations in the capital.

The reported negotiations have not been officially announced. Somalia’s presidency, the Ugandan government and the African Union have not publicly confirmed that an agreement has been reached or identified any country willing to provide the proposed funding.

Details about the amount required, the number of troops that could remain and the legal structure of a separate deployment were not disclosed.

Uganda’s security role in Somalia

Uganda is the largest troop contributor to the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia, known as AUSSOM. Published mission allocations indicate that Uganda contributes about 4,500 soldiers to the force, although they are deployed across Mogadishu and parts of Lower Shabelle rather than exclusively inside Halane.

Ugandan forces lead AUSSOM’s Sector One and have long played a central role in protecting strategic infrastructure and supporting Somali troops against Al-Shabaab.

Uganda became the first country to deploy soldiers to Somalia under the African Union Mission in Somalia in March 2007. Its forces subsequently served under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia before joining AUSSOM, which began operations in January 2025.

Ugandan contingents have secured key supply routes and facilities in Mogadishu and Lower Shabelle, including positions around Barawe, Buulo Mareer and other areas contested by Al-Shabaab.

A complete withdrawal would therefore require Somali forces or other foreign contingents to assume responsibility for several sensitive locations.

Funding crisis threatens AUSSOM

Kainerugaba’s announcement comes as AUSSOM struggles with chronic financial uncertainty.

The mission has an authorised strength of nearly 12,000 personnel and relies heavily on the United Nations Support Office in Somalia for food, fuel, medical services, transportation and other essential logistical support.

The United States notified the African Union that it would oppose continued United Nations logistical and operational support for AUSSOM after December 31, 2026, placing the mission’s future at risk unless another financing mechanism is secured.

Security analysts have warned that AUSSOM could struggle to continue operating without replacement funding. The mission has already faced unpaid obligations and uncertainty over troop allowances, while international partners have not established a sustainable long-term financing system.

Ugandan officials have previously issued conflicting signals about the country’s plans. Kainerugaba announced in January that Uganda intended to withdraw after 19 years in Somalia, but Ugandan government officials later said the country’s military commitments had not changed.

His latest statement is more specific because it identifies August 1, 2027, as the deadline for a complete withdrawal.