Kenya and Uganda Press Ahead with Chinese-built Railway Extension

 Agence France Presse published on 21 March 2026 an article titled "Kenya, Uganda Open Rail Extension Burdened by Chinese Debt."

The completion of the Chinese-built and financed standard-gauge railway from the port of Mombasa to Naivasha, which was originally intended to reach Kampala, Uganda, has become a major priority for both leaders.  The presidents of Kenya and Uganda recently met to discuss the railway extension.

Chinese companies will build the extension, which Kenya will finance by borrowing against future cargo taxes.  

Sudan's Competing Generals Seek International Support

 Aljazeera published on 2 January 2024 an article titled "Sudan's Feared Military Leader Signals Ambition to Rule the Country."

Sudan's competing generals, Sudan Armed Forces leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, have been travelling in the region seeking support to control all of Sudan.  Neither one appears to have much interest in peace talks or mediation.  

Sudan's Rapid Support Force Leader Seeks Support in East Africa

 Aljazeera published on 28 December 2023 an article titled "Leader of Sudan's RSF Visits Ethiopia in Rare Foreign Trip as War Rages."

Rapid Support Force leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo has completed visits with the leaders of Uganda and Ethiopia and reportedly will visit Kenya seeking support from the leaders of Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) members before IGAD holds a Sudan peace conference in Djibouti.

Senior Chinese Communist Party Delegation Visits Kenya and Uganda

 Xinhua published on 25 February 2023 an article titled "CPC Delegation Visits Kenya on Ties" and Uganda's New Vision published on 1 March 2023 an article titled "Communist Party of China Team in Uganda for Bilateral Visit" by Julius Luwemba.

The vice minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China led the five person delegation to Kenya and Uganda where it met with the presidents of both countries and the leaders of the ruling political parties--the United Democratic Alliance in Kenya and the National Resistance Movement in Uganda.

Controversy Surrounding East African Oil Pipeline

 The Pulitzer Center published on 30 December 2022 an article titled "Fear and Oil in Uganda" by Sophie Neiman.

The plan to build the 900 mile long East African Crude Oil Pipeline from Lake Albert in Uganda to the Tanzanian coast has stirred controversy among the people it will affect along the way.  The French company TotalEnergies holds a 62 percent share in the project, the Chinese National Offshore Oil Corporation an 8 percent share, and the remainder held by the Ugandan and Tanzanian governments.  

Egypt and Ethiopia Compete for Ugandan Support

 Al-Monitor published on 9 September 2022 an article titled "Egypt Determined to Disrupt Ethiopia's Ties with Uganda" by George Mikhail.

Because of differences over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Egypt is trying to undermine relations between Ethiopia and Uganda, an important member of the Nile Basin Council of Ministers and source of water for the White Nile.  

Vladimir Putin Trained African Freedom Fighters and Yes There Is a Tooth Fairy

 The BBC posted on 15 March 2022 a story titled "War in Ukraine: Why Vladimir Putin Couldn't Have Trained Fighters in Africa" by Peter Mwai.  

Social media is running a story that falsely claims Vladimir Putin in the early 1970s trained members of liberation movements in southern Africa.  The falsehood is being used by some, including the son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, to justify why African countries should support Putin's war in Ukraine.  

Conflict in South Sudan's Equatoria Region

 The US Institute of Peace published in April 2021 a study titled "Conflict and Crisis in South Sudan's Equatoria" by Alan Boswell, International Crisis Group.  

The report examines the conflict in Equatoria region of South Sudan.  It concludes the crisis in Equatoria will likely become entrenched if peace talks do not gain momentum and as resentments from abusive counterinsurgency campaigns mount and disillusionment with the troubled peace process grows.  

South Sudan's Foreign Policy Balancing Act

 African Arguments posted on 2 December 2020 a commentary titled "South Sudan's Two Big Foreign Policy Questions" by Daniel Akech Thiong.

South Sudan faces two foreign policy balancing acts: its relations with Sudan and Uganda, on the one hand, and Egypt and Ethiopia, on the other.  

Ending South Sudan's Civil War

The International Crisis Group issued a statement on 25 February 2020 titled "A Major Step Toward Ending South Sudan's Civil War."

The International Crisis Group argues that it is now up to African regional leaders to maintain pressure on Salva Kiir and Riek Machar and other conflict parties to keep the fragile peace deal on track.

Extension of Chinese-built Railway from Mombasa to Nairobi Up in Air

Tanzania's The Citizen published on 23 June 2019 an article titled "China Keeps Uganda, Kenya Guessing on SGR Loan" by Frederic Musisi.

Chinese financing has resulted in completion of the standard gauge railway from Mombasa to Nairobi in Kenya. The project was to extend to Kampala, Uganda, and then to Kigali in Rwanda and Juba in South Sudan. Subsequent concerns about the economic viability of the project and the ability of countries to pay off the loan to China have put the expansion of the railway in doubt.

South Sudan Peace Process

The International Crisis Group published on 14 December 2018 a commentary titled "South Sudan: Peace on Paper" by Alan Boswell.

The author concludes that what is urgently needed now is sustained third-party shuttle diplomacy among the regional heads of state who enjoy leverage over South Sudanese politicians, but back different sides and pursue their own short-term interests as much as a peaceful settlement.

Does Ugandan President Face Opponent Who Might Win?

World Politics Review published on 29 August 2018 an article titled "Museveni Fears a Rival Unlike Any Other He Has Faced in Uganda" by Andrew Green, a freelance journalist based in Berlin.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni faces Ugandan pop star, Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, in an upcoming election. The author suggests that the 36-year old pop star could be a real test of 74-year old Museveni's ability to hold on to power.

Atrocity Prevention and US Policy toward South Sudan

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum published in July 2018 a detailed assessment titled "From Independence to Civil War: Atrocity Prevention and US Policy toward South Sudan" by Jon Temin.

The author identified four pivotal periods when the United States could have acted with greater conviction to prevent violence in South Sudan, but did not. For Each period, the author seeks to identify alternative policies that could have been considered and to assess whether those policies may have been able to prevent or limit violence.

Peace Ahead for South Sudan?

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) published on 22 June 2018 an analysis titled "New Hopes for South Sudan's Peace Process" by Meressa K. Dessu, ISS Addis Ababa.

It is a cautiously optimistic account that peace may finally prevail in South Sudan following ongoing talks between South Sudan President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar.

The New York Times published on 27 June 2018 an article titled "A Peace Deal for South Sudan Is Signed. Will It Last?" by Megan Specia.

The article reports the signing of an agreement on 27 June but noted many are concerned that a lasting resolution to the conflict is still a long way off. Peace deals signed by both leaders have fallen apart in the past and the war has become more complicated with the passage of time.

Is Uganda Laying the Groundwork for Future Unrest?

African Arguments published on 13 December 2017 a commentary titled "Bit by Bit, Uganda Is Laying the Groundwork for Future Unrest" by Magnus Taylor, International Crisis Group analyst for the Horn of Africa.

The author concludes that as President Museveni manoeuvres to extend his 30-year rule, a wide range of political and administrative reforms are urgently needed to avoid unrest. Pervasive corruption, polarized politics and authoritarian trends are setting the scene for future civil strife.

Chinese Company Pulls Out of Ugandan Refinery Deal

The Independent (Kampala, Uganda) published on 31 July 2017 a detailed account titled "Chinese Quit Museveni's Refinery Deal" by Haggai Matsiko.

This is a well documented account of a $4 billion refinery project in Uganda won by a Chinese consortium that outbid American and Russian companies, among others. An important part of the consortium, China Petroleum Engineering & Construction Corporation (CPECC), has pulled out of the deal, which appears to have collapsed. In-fighting and intrigue is cited as the reason why CPECC pulled out.

South Sudan and China

The National Interest published on 22 June 2015 a commentary titled "China: Africa's New Power Broker" by Alex Fielding, who works with a geopolitical risk consulting firm.  The commentary is misleading in that it suggests China is the new power broker throughout Africa but only cites its engagement in South Sudan, where it is playing an important role.  The commentary also understates the continuing role of Western countries in Africa. 

Uganda Looks to China

The Diplomat published on 4 March 2014 a piece titled "Uganda Looks to China" by Clint Richards, a Tokyo-based risk management consultant.  He concludes that Uganda has been steadily turning toward China, which is becoming Uganda's preferred trade and investment partner. 

The Politics of Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Legislation

Chatham House in London published on 24 February 2014 a commentary titled "The Politics of Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Legislation" by Ben Shepherd, associate fellow at Chatham House.  He analyzes the domestic political implications of President Museveni's decision to sign the legislation.