For the EASF, the immediate challenge is turning political commitments into practical capacity. Its leadership wants the force to move beyond being a regional arrangement on paper and become a properly funded, politically supported and operationally ready mechanism capable of responding when crises emerge.
The proposal has sparked concern among Kampala property owners, who fear that moving government offices could leave commercial buildings without tenants and weaken the city’s economy.
The kidnappers held her captive for nearly three weeks, demanding up to $1 million before accepting about $200,000 (approximately UGX 700 million). During her captivity, they cut off two of her fingers and sent them alongside a video of her pleading for help to pressure her family into paying the ransom.
According to the prosecution, the group comprised 54 adults and 13 children, all of whom were unable to produce valid identification or immigration documents. State Prosecutor Abraham Akandehako told the court that their undocumented stay in Uganda contravened the country's immigration laws and posed potential security concerns.