Sunday Standard Team
13 January 2008
Nairobi — Armed Ugandan soldiers are allegedly crossing into Kenya.
Busia residents told The Sunday Standard that some Ugandan troops have been sighted in town and in Port Victoria along River Suo.
"They are scattered all over along the borders with some patrolling along Lake Victoria," said a secondary school teacher in Budalang'i District.
According to Nambale MP-elect, Mr Chris Okemo, some of the soldiers have reportedly crossed "no-man's-land" borderline to Busia town on the Kenyan side.
"We have received reports that a number of strangers, whose mission is unknown, have been spotted in groups. We are still investigating the claims," he said.
Bondo MP-elect Dr Oburu Oginga also claimed that people in Ugandan military gear docked at Mageta Island last evening in batches.
"The first batch of 12 soldiers who spoke strange Kiswahili arrived at Mageta Island past 5pm on Friday and asked for directions to Usenge and Uhanya beach," Oburu said.
Oburu said he informed police in Bondo after more soldiers allegedly landed at Mageta two hours later.
"We are concerned with these strange military personnel in the area. The residents are worried," Oburu said.
However, Nyanza PPO Ms Grace Kaindi denied the claims.
"That is nonsense. There is no way foreign troops can be sneaked into the country since we are not at war with anybody," she said.
"We have laws that can help us deal with any security threat in the province. Residents should ignore rumours about Uganda soldiers taking positions on Kenya borders along Lake Victoria," she said police investigation showed no foreign troops.
Similar strange military arrivals were reported in Bungoma, where they allegedly boarded six buses.
Suspicion has been high in Uganda over President Yoweri Museveni's possible role in the Kenyan presidential poll fiasco.
Museveni was the only Head of State in the region to congratulate Kibaki for being re-elected.
Ugandan authorities have denied that its soldiers had crossed into Kenya.
Museveni's Media advisor, Mr John Nagenda, on Sunday denied the claims.
Uganda's Army spokesman, Captain Paddy Ankunda, also refuted the claims.
He said the only Ugandan soldiers in Kenya are training at the Karen Defence College in Nairobi.
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If it is rally true that Uganda has ent troops to western Kenya then Kenyans are really in a very infortunate situation!
The Ugandan army, the NRA, have a bad reputation in the region; in D R Congo, Rwanda, Sudan, Nothern and Eastern Uganda.
What defeats my understanding is why Kibaki would resort to hiring soldiers from Uganda, but deploy Kenyan police to deal with any disturbances of the peace if there are any? Is Kibaki really in control of things in Kenya? I really doubt it.
Ceratainly some one should advise Kibaki to seek the help of… [Read Full Text]
this is no news to me. I was the first blogger to break the news on Ugandan militia in Kenya. just recieved more info on this from a senior government official. These are not rumours this is really happening.