UGANDA: PARLIAMENTARY DEFENSE COMMITTEE TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L KAMPALA 000238 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/15/17 TAGS: PREL EAID KPKO MOPS ET SO ER KE UG SUBJECT: UGANDA: PARLIAMENTARY DEFENSE COMMITTEE TO RECOMMEND SOMALIA DEPLOYMENT REF: KAMPALA 193 Classified By: P/E Chief Kathleen FitzGibbon for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ). ¶1. (SBU) On February 7, Parliament referred the Somalia resolution to the Defense and Internal Affairs Committee. The committee's chairperson, Rose Nsereko Namayanja, told P/E officer on February 9 that the committee was wrapping up its work on the Somalia resolution. She would be preparing the report for the floor of the house over the weekend. She will be presenting the committee's recommendation that the full Parliament approve the deployment to Somalia on Tuesday, February 13 to the floor. Parliament does not sit on Mondays. ¶2. (SBU) Namayanja said that the opposition participated fully in the committee meeting yesterday. Minister of State for Defense Ruth Nankabirwa, Chief of Defense Forces General Aronda, and Minister of State for Regional Affairs Isaac Musumba appeared. The Government was able to provide the Committee satisfactory answers on key issues of mission, mandate, and troop welfare. ¶3. (C) She also was grateful for the regular flow of documents provided by the Embassy, which have included relevant resolutions, AU decisions, and transcripts of A/S Frazer,s press conferences. She said they helped bring clarity on questions regarding mandate and mission. BROWNING