Uganda intervened in South Sudan in 2013 and 2016 to support President Kiir's government, protect nationals, stabilize the region, and safeguard infrastructure amid ongoing civil conflictUganda has deployed soldiers from the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) to South Sudan as part of "Operation Mlinzi wa Kimya",

Many in South Sudan now perceive Uganda as aiding a government viewed by ordinary citizens as oppressive, illegitimate, and disconnected from their plight. Some South Sudanese now believe Uganda no longer stands with ordinary citizens but with a party that is a party of national government widely seen as brutal and self-serving.