The Ugandan Parliament voted on 6 August 2026 to authorize troop deployments to the Gaza Strip as part of a US-backed multilateral peacekeeping mission. The legislative approval allows the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to join the international mission proposed under US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace initiative.
Defence and Veterans Affairs Minister Kiryowa Kiwanuka introduced and defended the motion in Kampala before lawmakers following a diplomatic invitation from US President Donald Trump. The legislative approval represents the first public commitment by Uganda to participate in the International Stabilization Force (ISF). The initiative aims to secure the enclave following the two-year Israel-Hamas conflict. While Parliament passed the measure, the exact timeline and force size remain pending final authorization from President Yoweri Museveni. Operational planners intend to establish a border base in the region capable of housing up to 500 Ugandan personnel. Uganda joins a growing coalition of nations pledging troop contributions, including Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Indonesia, and Albania.
Parliamentary approval followed debate among Ugandan lawmakers regarding mission logistics, financial burdens, and operational risks. Opposition members pressed the government for details on funding mechanisms, command structures, and force protection protocols. Member of Parliament Enos Asiimwe asked during the session, “Who is going to fund our stay in Gaza?”
Lawmaker Hassan Kirumira expressed concern that deploying troops could trigger diplomatic challenges due to Uganda’s membership in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Kirumira asked on the floor of the House, “On which side is our army going to fight?” Minister Kiwanuka defended the deployment by pointing to Uganda’s extensive military track record in regional peace operations across East Africa. Senior military leaders welcomed the parliamentary vote as a demonstration of professional trust. General Henry Matsiko stated that the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) is viewed as an “anchor of stability in a sea of turbulence, regionally and now globally”.
Under the framework presented by the US administration in February 2026, U.S. Major General Jasper Jeffers commands the International Stabilization Force (ISF), which plans to field 20,000 military personnel alongside 12,000 local police officers across designated sectors. The multinational mandate includes securing humanitarian aid corridors, maintaining post-ceasefire order, protecting civilians, and supervising the decommissioning of militant groups. Execution of the mandate relies on a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory. A ceasefire agreement reached in October 2025 halted major combat operations, though localized violence has continued. Reports confirm that Israeli strikes have caused 1,250 casualties since the agreement took effect, presenting persistent risks to deployment timelines.
Ugandan troops possess extensive experience in counter-insurgency and urban stability tasks, gained through long deployments with the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). UPDF units spent years securing volatile urban sectors in Mogadishu against persistent insurgent attacks. The UPDF also maintains an operational footprint in regional security crises. Military spokesperson Felix Kulayigye confirmed that Uganda relocated special operations forces to Juba in March 2025 at the request of the South Sudanese government. That deployment aimed to stabilize the capital amid escalating internal political tension, echoing earlier UPDF interventions in Juba in 2013 and 2016.
The deployment decision reflects a broader strategy by Washington to secure regional partners for post-conflict security arrangements. Similar military support frameworks appear elsewhere in the region; the US State Department released $1.3 billion in foreign military financing to Egypt in September 2024, citing Cairo’s critical mediation role in Gaza and regional security contribution in Sudan.
The move shows Uganda’s effort to position its military as a flexible security provider on the international stage. However, domestic critics emphasize that the government must secure firm guarantees regarding troop safety and operational financing before sending forces overseas. Until Israeli forces complete initial withdrawal phases and the Board of Peace establishes formal logistics channels, Ugandan units will remain on standby in East Africa.