Ugandan Officers in Hot Water Over Helicopter Mishap in Somalia
MOGADISHU, Somalia – It seems that the storms aren’t just in the air as three Ugandan People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officers find themselves caught up in legal turbulence. Following the unfortunate helicopter crash in September 2024, these officers have been accused of negligence by a military court-martial.
The ill-fated aircraft was tasked with shuttling troops from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), now rebranded as the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM). In this aerial misadventure, four soldiers sustained serious injuries.
With all the somberness of a matinee at Makindye – famous as a court-martial hotspot in Kampala – the accused faced the musical chair of justice last week. Col. George Buga Andruga, 51, Maj. Benjamin Kashumbusha, 43, and Lt. Henry Gygenda, 38, were all present and accounted for at the General Court Martial (GCM) for the opening gavel.
Let’s dive into the rulebook: Section 150(b) of the UPDF Act, Cap 330, specifically outlines the aviation acumen expected of officers. According to the prosecutors, the accused officials threw caution to the wind, allowing aircraft AU0-004 to hit a metaphorical banana peel en route to Balidogle Military Airfield.
If found culpable, our luckless aviators might face the gallows – quite the hangover. Yet, all three stoutly maintained their innocence as Brig. Gen. Robert Freeman Mugabe presided over the initial hearings.
Now, Balidogle isn’t just any airfield. It’s under the US Africa Command’s auspicious guard, hosting the Somali National Army’s elite Danab Special Forces. The UPDF soldiers were en route to this illustrious spot before taking an unscheduled detour to Groundsville.
Quick off the mark, the Ugandan military wasted no time in launching a thorough investigation. On the table: technical hitches, the inevitable human error, or the ominous specter of hostile fire. Brig. Gen. Felix Kulayigye, spinning the UPDF spokesperson’s wheel of fortune, confirmed, “Whenever there is an air accident, there must be an investigation.”
The courtroom echoed with the near-dramatic voice of prosecutor Philip Oluput announcing, “Ongoing inquiries, your honors. Adjourn, adjourn, and let the accused remain at the Makindye Military Police Quarter Guard,” looking every bit the protagonist.
In the opposing corner, defense maestros Elizabeth Nyadsingwa and Capt. Simon Nsubuga Busagwa are poised for strategic maneuvering. “We’re gearing up for a bail application next session, make no mistake!” quipped Busagwa with the aplomb of a chess master.
Uganda’s military personnel have always been at the heart of the fight for stability in Mogadishu, shouldering the responsibility with steely determination. Alas, many Ugandan soldiers have lost their lives in bold clashes against the volatile Al-Shabaab insurgents.
Whether this courtroom saga will have a twist ending or conclude predictably remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure, this is one high-stakes episode that has everyone on the edge of their seat.
Report By Axadle
