Paper short abstract:

This paper argues that Ugandan involvement in internal and external wars across Central-East Africa is driven by an internationalized political settlement between cross-national ethnic and military leaders. It sheds new light on neglected international dimensions of political settlement theory.

Paper long abstract:

For the past two decades, Central-East Africa has been a hotbed of geo-political instability. Conflict in Uganda, Rwanda, DRC, and now Burundi has repeatedly threatened peace and stability in the region. Uganda, in particular, has acted as a flashpoint in numerous internal and external wars, including participation in the overthrow of Rwandan and DRC governments. Drawing on insights from political settlement theory, we argue that Ugandan involvement in these wars is driven by pressure to uphold an evolving internationalized political settlement between cross-national ethnic and military leaders. This political settlement is both antecedent and product of episodic appointments of internationalized military personnel—that is, martial races or privileged ethnicities that are, in large part, extra-territorial in origin. We develop this argument by tracing the historical evolution of Uganda's military establishment since independence. Our findings suggest that Ugandan leaders have strategically recruited internationalized military personnel to shore up the military's political reliability and protect against state failure. This ethno-political military calculus is exemplified by the close relationship with Tanzanian elites under Obote, the inclusion of Sudanese and Palestinians soldiers under Amin, and the alliance with Rwandan exiles under Museveni. But, in doing so, Ugandan leaders have become beholden to these groups and have therefore been obligated to provide military support in extra-territorial skirmishes throughout the region. Overall, these findings shed new light on previously under-theorized international dimensions of political settlement theory and also offer important insights as to why Central-East Africa continues to be embroiled in conflict.