AFRICANGLOBE – The embattled president of the Central African Republic, Francois Bozize has reportedly sent an SOS message to Uganda’s president Yoweri Museveni.
In the face of a growing rebellion, which has seen insurgents seizing much of the Central African Republic in the last three weeks and are now closing on the country’s capital, Bangui, Bozize is sending out distress calls in the hope the capital can be saved.
The message, The Ugandan State House said, was delivered to Museveni by CAR’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, General Antoine Gambi.
“During the meeting, President Museveni and General Gambi discussed issues relating to the bilateral relations between Uganda and Central African Republic,” the statement read.
But political analysts in Uganda believe that the message, which was not disclosed to the public, is likely to make a formal request for troops to save Bozize from being overthrown by the rebels who are fighting his government.
A university lecturer, Francis Ochani said, Bozize “has been asking some countries to send troops to fight the rebels, and it is likely that he sent his minister top do the same with Museveni. That was an SOS message”.
There are reports that some countries have already started sending troops to CAR to save the beleaguered government.
Chad has already sent some soldiers, while fellow central African regional countries including Gabon, Congo Brazzaville and Cameroon have also reportedly promised to send troops.
Uganda has some troops in Central African republic hunting for LRA rebels led by Joseph Kony, but Uganda Armed Forces spokesman, colonel Felix Kulayigye has said those troops will not in any way be involved in the fighting in that country.
