- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has warned that Africa is still vulnerable to external military pressure, citing the ongoing conflict between the United States and Venezuela as an example.
- Museveni said Africa’s failure to achieve political and security integration has made it weak against powerful actors in the world despite repeated warnings.
- The Ugandan leader said that although the world’s most powerful nations dominate the air, sea and space, land resistance would be more costly.
- Museveni called for deeper regional and continental unity, including joint investment in military capabilities
President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni has used the ongoing conflict between the United States and Venezuela to warn that Africa is still in danger of facing external military pressure.
Source: UGC
He says that the long-delayed political and security integration of the continent has left it vulnerable to influence by powerful actors in the world.
How does the conflict between the United States and Venezuela reveal the nakedness of Africa?
During a conversation with the media and influential people on social media and youth leaders in Kampala, Museveni said the US military operation against Venezuela should be a wake-up call.
He said that Africans need to urgently rethink continental unity, strategic security, and a common defense plan.
Museveni warned that although the world’s most powerful nations can dominate the air, sea, and space, they will face strong opposition if they attempt such actions on land.
“The actions of the Americans in Venezuela are still not understood; we have not yet learned what is going on. Although the Americans are strong in the air, and the naval forces, but if they approach the ground, we can defeat them,” he said.
The Ugandan leader was answering a question from Marcella Karekye, director of the Center for Government-Citizen Interaction at the White House, about what lessons Uganda and Africa should learn from the US operation in Venezuela.
On Friday, January 2, US forces raided Venezuela and arrested President Nicolás Maduro, who was later extradited to the US to face charges related to terrorism and drug trafficking.
Venezuela is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Southern International Movement.
Museveni, who is currently the chairman of NAM, a group that includes almost two-thirds of the member states of the United Nations, most of them from the Global South, said his government is still investigating the incident.
“You can see the gaps that I am telling you. Because the Americans are working from four directions. They are working from the sea. They can come in the air and outer space. Now, they are trying to come on the ground, which, of course, is dangerous for the Americans,” he said.
Why is multilateral conflict important to Africa’s future?
He attributed Venezuela’s predicament to Africa’s failure to build an integrated security architecture, returning to his long-standing advocacy of the East African Federation and broader continental integration.
Museveni said he and other regional leaders had realized the dangers of division in the early 1960s but failed to act.
“That was our goal in 1963. And Mwalimu would have moved, but Kenyatta and Obote decided to remain big fish in small ponds. Some people like it when you are a big fish in a small pond. You feel very big, but when trouble comes, you may not survive,” he said.
According to Museveni, Africa lacks what he described as a strategic “center of gravity”, a strong anchor that smaller states can rely on in times of conflict.
He compared the position of Africa with that of small European countries that benefit from strong cooperation.
Source: Twitter
The President urged African countries to invest together in naval, air, and space capabilities to avoid being caught by technologically superior nations.
He said unity through regional blocs like the East African Community would allow Africa to gather resources and build self-defense capabilities in all fields.
Museveni also framed his remarks in a broad criticism of world power politics, warning against attempts by any country to dominate world affairs.
He said that the international system was heading towards a global crisis and that efforts to oppose this change would only fuel instability.
“Government doesn’t work. People trying to control the world. It’s very dangerous … global conflict is unstoppable. You can’t stop it and you shouldn’t even try,” he warned.
Why Musevenia wants to create a regional army
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni wanted to reduce anxiety in Kenya following the debate caused by his recent remarks about access to the Indian Ocean.
He said his remarks had been grossly misinterpreted and were not intended to suggest enmity against Kenya or any other member of the East African Community (EAC).
Museveni explained that his remarks were made in the context of long-term security plans, regional integration, and the future stability of East Africa.
He said that although the region had made progress through the customs union and the common market, it had failed to create a common security system.
According to him, different protection systems in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzaniaand other countries weakened the common position of the region in international strategic affairs.
The veteran leader warned that Africa’s fragmented military plans left it vulnerable in a world dominated by the world’s technological powers.
He proposed the creation of a political federation that would unite regional military forces under a single command, saying this would increase negotiating power and security capabilities.
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