Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has denounced a call by the United Nations to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan, saying that would only weaken the army as the country is working to contain a resurgence of violence.
Museveni who is attending the African Union Summit in Rwanda’s capital Kigali, told the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that he was against the embargo.
“When you impose an (arms) embargo on South Sudan you destroy the local force on which you need to build a strong integrated army,” a statement from his office read.
Forces loyal to South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and first vice president Riek Machar engaged in a five-day gun-battle in and around Juba earlier this month before the two leaders declared a ceasefire on 11 July.
At least 272 people were killed in the violence, with over 40,000 thousands others displaced from their homes.
Museveni’s Uganda sent troops into South Sudan to back Kiir during latest conflict, which started in December 2013, and sent troops back again during this month’s resurgence in fighting, saying they would rescue Ugandan citizens there.
