Title: Structural Challenges and Limitations in the Implementation of African Union Interventions in Uganda
Authors: Ocan Richard
Volume: 10
Issue: 7
Pages: 170-176
Publication Date: 2026/07/28
Abstract:
This study examined the structural challenges and limitations that constrain the implementation of African Union (AU) interventions in Uganda, addressing the third objective of a wider inquiry into AU diplomatic engagement and peacekeeping as instruments for advancing Pan-African ideals. The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive survey research design combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. Data were collected from 158 respondents, comprising AU officials, government diplomats, regional organizational staff, civil society actors, and policy experts, using structured questionnaires supplemented by key informant interviews. The sample size was determined using Slovin's formula, and the reliability of the research instrument was confirmed through Cronbach's Alpha coefficients ranging from 0.831 to 0.874, with the challenges subscale returning the highest coefficient of the three (0.862). Descriptive statistics, one sample t-tests, and Pearson correlation analysis were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that respondents most strongly agreed that AU interventions in Uganda faced significant structural constraints, recording the highest grand mean (4.01) among the three thematic areas assessed in the wider study. The most strongly endorsed challenge was the AU's dependence on external funding (mean=4.15), followed by the tension between respect for state sovereignty and decisive diplomatic action (mean=4.05), weak enforcement mechanisms (mean=3.98), logistical limitations (mean=3.96), and coordination deficits with local institutions (mean=3.89). All five items were statistically significant above the neutral midpoint at p<.001, and challenges correlated positively with both diplomatic engagements (r=0.487) and peacekeeping roles (r=0.534). The study concluded that addressing these structural barriers, particularly financial dependency, was essential to strengthening the AU's operational autonomy in Uganda, and recommended a phased transition toward self-financing mechanisms and stronger institutional coordination frameworks.