The Ugandan Parliament has called for the withdrawal of the country’s troops from South Sudan.

The MPs say the cost of maintaining the soldiers in Juba and other parts of the country is high.

According to Uganda’s Defense ministry, the monthly expenditure for the Ugandan troops in South Sudan is about 2.5 million US dollars.

The Daily Monitor reports that the Committee on Defense and Internal Affairs in the parliament has urged the government to continue engaging IGAD to ensure a neutral force is deployed.

However, Defense Minister Crispus Kiyonga told the parliament that the UPDF would remain in South Sudan until IGAD has deployed a neutral force.

“The Igad force that was supposed to take the place of the UPDF has not yet become a reality. To that extent, therefore, we will remain put in South Sudan,” Mr Kiyonga told Ugandan newspaper, Daily Monitor.

He said both the South Sudanese and Ugandan governments are meeting the expenditure for the troops.