Uganda marks 64th independence with new medical facilities in South Sudan

To mark Uganda’s 64th Independence Day, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has inaugurated new medical facilities at its headquarters in Bilnyang, South Sudan. Located approximately 25 kilometres east of Juba, the new facilities include an operating theatre, a laboratory, a dental unit, and an antenatal room.

The facilities are intended to provide healthcare for Ugandan troops and members of the local South Sudanese community. Brig. Gen. Anthony Lukwago Mbuusi, commander of the UPDF joint task force in South Sudan, credited the support to President Yoweri Museveni and Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Ugandan forces are currently deployed in South Sudan under Operation Mlinzi wa Kimya. This deployment followed a request for military assistance from President Salva Kiir in March 2025 to help stabilize the country amid fears of renewed civil war. While Uganda remains a key security partner to the government in Juba, the involvement of Ugandan forces in government military operations has faced public scrutiny.