Leaked documents reveal that Uganda has been collaborating with Israel on defence and security matters for several years. This partnership has notably focused on bolstering Uganda’s drone and surveillance capabilities, as indicated in the documents.
Uganda’s parliament approved the deployment last month. Records show that Uganda’s drone programme started several years ago. The documents also mention SkyStriker, a weapon made by Elbit that can stay in the air while looking for a target and then attack it. It is a system that can help turn regular bombs into more accurate, guided weapons. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s military chief, has been openly supporting Israel in recent months. But he also warned that if anyone talked about destroying or defeating Israel, Uganda would stand with Israel and could join the fight against Israel’s enemies.
An agreement shows that Elbit supplied a refurbished Hermes 450 system in 2019. More systems were supplied in 2020 and 2021. The company later agreed to provide newer Hermes 900 drones and upgrade the fleet’s control and communication systems. Another document from 2022 said Elbit was preparing weapons-drop tests in Uganda involving Lizard 3.
The documents come at a time when Uganda is preparing to send troops to Gaza as part of a proposed international “stabilization force”. The equipment was meant for Uganda’s Military Intelligence and its Special Forces Command, according to the documents. He has even said that Uganda could get involved if countries tried to destroy Israel. In a social media post in March, Kainerugaba said that people around the world were tired of the fighting in the Middle East and wanted the war to end.
