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Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi Tuesday, November 26, called for calm and mutual respect between Kenya and Uganda following the arrest and deportation of Ugandan opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye from Nairobi.
Addressing the press during an event marking Kenya’s 60 years of diplomatic relations, Mudavadi urged the public not to judge Kenya’s foreign policy harshly over the incident. He said there are ongoing efforts to strengthen ties with Uganda.
“As much as we are an open and hospitable country, we believe it is vital to maintain good relations with all our partner states. This issue should be approached with a spirit of mutual respect and understanding,” he said.
Mudavadi highlighted Kenya’s longstanding role as a sanctuary for displaced individuals across Africa, pointing to the country’s history of hosting over 800,000 refugees in camps like Kakuma and Dadaab, as well as urban centers. He emphasized the government’s open-door policy under initiatives like the Shirika Plan, aimed at reintegrating refugees into society.
“We shall continue playing that role for fellow Africans in distress. Those who wish to return home can do so voluntarily, and those who choose to stay will always find Kenya a welcoming place,” Mudavadi said, framing Kenya’s response to regional instability as an integral part of its foreign policy.
The arrest of Besigye on November 16, 2024, sent shockwaves across the region. He had traveled to Nairobi to attend a book launch hosted by NARC-Kenya leader Martha Karua but was apprehended and deported to Uganda shortly afterward. There, he was arraigned in a military court on charges of possessing firearms and ammunition.
Kenya’s involvement in the operation has been hotly debated. Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei denied any prior knowledge of Besigye’s travel plans, saying the government was not informed of his presence in the country. “We were unaware of his movements, including where he stayed, and were therefore not in a position to provide him with any additional security,” Sing’Oei explained during a November 20 briefing.
However, Uganda’s Minister for ICT, Chris Baryomunsi, contradicted these claims, asserting that both governments coordinated the arrest. “You cannot arrest someone in the middle of Nairobi and bring them to Uganda without full knowledge and support from the Kenyan authorities,” he said in an interview with NBS TV.
The contrasting accounts have sparked criticism, with human rights groups accusing Kenya of complicity in undermining Besigye’s rights. The operation has raised broader concerns about the region’s democratic space and Kenya’s reputation as a safe haven for political dissidents.
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