Kampala – Uganda’s army chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, announced on Friday, August 28, 2026, that the Uganda troop withdrawal from Somalia will be complete by August 1, 2027. He made the statement in a post on the social media platform X. The declaration would end nearly 20 years of Ugandan military involvement in Somalia’s fight against al-Shabab.
The announcement lands at a delicate moment for the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, known as AUSSOM. The mission is already facing a funding crisis after the United States said it would stop backing United Nations logistics for the force from 2027. As a result, a Ugandan exit would strip AUSSOM of one of its largest and longest-serving troop contributors.
What Kainerugaba Said
Kainerugaba wrote that Uganda will leave Somalia entirely once the deadline passes. “We are leaving Somalia completely on August 1, 2027,” he said. No Ugandan troops will remain in the country after that date, he added.
However, it remains unclear whether the timeline reflects official Ugandan government policy or Kainerugaba’s personal position, Caasimada Online reported. Kainerugaba is the son of President Yoweri Museveni and commands Uganda’s land forces.
Two Decades on the Front Line
Uganda has contributed troops to the African Union mission in Somalia since 2007. Its forces are among the largest contingents fighting al-Shabab. Kainerugaba had already signaled the planned exit after nearly 19 years of deployment. Meanwhile, in February 2026, he warned Uganda could withdraw sooner if AUSSOM’s funding problems went unresolved.
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Kampala Summit and AUSSOM’s Funding Crisis
The new statement follows an unusual summit Uganda hosted for AUSSOM’s troop-contributing countries. Leaders met in Kampala on July 31, 2026. They called on the international community to keep supporting peace and security in Somalia. They also pushed for steady funding to sustain the mission.
Together, the summit and Kainerugaba’s announcement are raising fresh questions about AUSSOM’s future. Somalia is meanwhile expected to gradually take over its own security responsibilities.
Washington’s Funding Cut Deepens the Crisis
AUSSOM includes roughly 12,000 troops. It depends heavily on United Nations support for food, water, fuel, health care, and troop transport. The United States told the African Union in July that it would not fund the mission past December 31, 2026.
Washington said it would not block an extension of AUSSOM’s mandate. However, it will not back continued UN funding for the mission’s logistics and support services. The US also criticized Somalia for moving too slowly to take over its own security after years of international backing, according to Caasimada Online.
The decision has alarmed African Union officials and diplomats. They warn AUSSOM could struggle to continue operating without alternative funding and logistics. The Institute for Security Studies has likewise cautioned that the funding cut could severely disrupt the mission, since a large share of its essential support relies on US financing.
Somalia’s Push to Take Over Its Own Security
Somalia’s government has pursued a gradual security handover plan for years. Officials want to reduce the role of foreign troops over time. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has repeatedly said foreign forces cannot stay indefinitely.
“We must hand foreign troops beautiful flowers and send them home,” he has said. Somalia, he added, must ultimately protect its own security and sovereignty.
If Uganda proceeds with the withdrawal Kainerugaba announced, it would mark a major shift for the African Union mission in Somalia. Kampala has been one of the operation’s biggest military pillars for nearly two decades.
