Uganda spent $18 million on Military purchases in 2017, a sharp rise from the less than $1million they spend the previous year.
This is according to the latest report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri).
The report show how East Africa’s military expenditure has shrunk by over 60% in the past three years, reaching $32 million in 2017, from a high of $92 million in 2015.
South Sudan, which has been the region’s biggest military spender, did not make any purchases last year on record, largely because of an ailing economy and threats of an arms embargo.
Kenya slashed its spending by half to $13 million from $28 million a year earlier, while Tanzania did not make purchases last year, after spending $20 million in 2016.
Uganda at $18million led the East African nations in acquiring military hardware.
Uganda expects five helicopters from the United States later this year as part of a $87.6 million contract with Bell Helicopters signed in September 2016.
Bell Helicopters is to supply Kenya and Uganda with 13 helicopters and spares, which these two countries plan to use to boost their operations in neighbouring Somalia, where they are fighting al-Shabaab militants under the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) command.