Museveni hosts Hemedti in first international appearance since September

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Friday received the commander of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as “Hemedti,” at the presidential palace in Entebbe, southwest of the capital Kampala. The meeting marked Dagalo’s first international appearance since September and sparked widespread debate and criticism within Sudan and abroad.

Since the outbreak of war, the RSF managed in its early stages to seize large parts of the capital, Khartoum, as well as other strategic areas. In recent months, however, the Sudanese army has regained significant portions of Khartoum and pushed RSF forces out of key positions. Meanwhile, Dagalo’s forces have consolidated their influence in the Darfur region, taking control of most of its territory, including major cities, while fighting continues in Kordofan and Blue Nile.

During his visit, Hemedti made remarks rejecting what he described as the “division of Sudan,” invoking sensitivities linked to South Sudan’s secession in 2011. He also dismissed what he called “a peace like the Juba Peace or the Naivasha Peace,” in reference to earlier agreements, including the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in 2005 that ended a long civil war and ultimately paved the way for separation. He said he was seeking a different kind of peace, without outlining specific details.

Dagalo’s remarks in Entebbe about drones allegedly coming from “neighboring countries” reflect mutual accusations among the warring parties over external support, a factor that has further complicated the conflict and shifted it from an internal confrontation to a stage for indirect regional rivalry.

At the same time, he denied seeking the presidency, stating that his goal is to “uproot the Islamists,” a reference to the movement associated with former president Omar al-Bashir. The message appears aimed both at domestic audiences and at regional and international actors who view a return of Islamist forces to power as a threat to stability.

Uganda’s decision to host Dagalo has raised questions about Kampala’s role in the Sudan file. Museveni maintains longstanding ties with multiple actors in the region and is known for mediating roles in African conflicts. The meeting may signal an attempt to keep channels of communication open with all sides, or reflect broader regional efforts led by East African and Horn of Africa states to initiate a new negotiating track. However, the move has drawn criticism from Sudanese groups who argue that receiving a commander accused of grave violations grants him political legitimacy at a sensitive moment.

The RSF faces allegations of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly in the city of El Fasher in North Darfur state, where international reports have cited mass killings, sexual violence, and forced displacement. Human rights organizations have also accused the forces of using siege and starvation as weapons of war, allegations that RSF leadership denies or downplays.

The war in Sudan has produced one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with tens of thousands killed, millions displaced internally and across borders, and the collapse of health, education, and economic sectors. Against this backdrop, diplomatic moves — whether in Entebbe or elsewhere, appear part of a race between continued military escalation and efforts to impose a new political process.

Dagalo’s visit to Uganda may signal an attempt to reposition himself politically following military setbacks, to break international isolation, or even to lay groundwork for a negotiating initiative. Yet the success of any peace track will depend first on a ceasefire and on genuine willingness by the parties to make concessions, indicators that remain weak so far.