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Uganda: Roles Change As Kenyans Seek Refuge
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The East African Standard (Nairobi)
20 January 2008
Posted to the web 20 January 2008
Oscar Obonyo
Nairobi
Roles have drastically reversed along the Kenya-Ugandan border. The traditionally peaceable Kenyans are no longer walking tall. Instead, it is the Ugandans -who have perpetually been at war-now playing host.
The hosts are even chiding their visitors about their war-torn country. There are also lectures on peaceful coexistence to boot.
Indeed, the sudden up twist of events is one that shames and shocks residents who have lived on the Kenyan side of the border. For years, they have played the Big Brother 's role of offering sanctuary to their troubled neighbours.
Now they find themselves on the other side of the fence thanks to last December 's controversial presidential polls.
"Why can 't you people stop killing each other like chicken. We did it during (Idi) Amin 's time and a few years thereafter but achieved zero, " offers a World Vision-Uganda official at Busia-Uganda Integrated Primary School where displaced Kenyans have pitched camp.
"Whether he rigged himself in or not Kibaki is your president. And now we hear Raila has taken control of the National Assembly and might also control the cities and town councils. Since the power already seems shared, why can 't you continue that way instead of either group wanting to have it all? she poses.
Mr Patrick Ogessa, a barman in Samia Bugwe says: "We have been there before (internal strife) for such a long period and understand what you people are going through. It is pain and sacrifice that you must go through, before you can finally settle down as we have done. However, do not express your anger stupidly. "
Indeed, this is the attitude of most Ugandans. Everyone has something to say or lecture Kenyans on. This was hardly the case one month ago.
Now, the Ugandan media are awash with pitiable stories about the former regional power-house that is quickly tumbling.
In one of the articles, a columnist in a leading Ugandan daily declares that only Tanzania genuinely enjoys the honours of being a haven of peace in the region.
Kenya, he writes, was all along a pretender, and just like Uganda, the country effectively belongs to the club of war-riddled Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Rwanda and Burundi.
While this might not be the apt interpretation of the situation in the country, the reading of the post-election violence is very different indeed.
The Sunday Standard has established that there are more than 5,000 Kenyans holed up in makeshift camps, living with friends or in dingy hotels in Uganda. About 2,600 of these are at Busia 's Integrated Primary School while 1,430 are in a camp near Malaba.
Ugandan troops
Museveni echoed the magnitude of the problem. And judging from the reactions of his audience, it was equally evident that tension was high between the locals and their Kenyan counterparts.
President Yoweri Museveni was confronted by locals who wanted to know whether he played a role in rigging in President Kibaki.
Before the elections, ODM politicians had alleged that pre-marked presidential ballot papers were sneaked into Kenya from Uganda.
But Museveni said it is the Electoral Commission of Kenya Chairman, Mr Samuel Kivuitu, who made Kibaki President of Kenya.
The Ugandan president was obviously surprised by the question considering that there is general belief among locals that he may have played a role in Kenyan polls.
Museveni 's rush decision to sent Kibaki a congratulatory message - so far the only world leader to have done so - has not made the situation any better.
But what has sent many into panic at the border is the unending rumour that Ugandan troops have been deployed along the Kenyan borders. Some soldiers are even said to have crossed to the country to help combat poll protesters.
Last week, a Ugandan daily claimed that Kenya had appealed for a further 3,000 Ugandan troops. The claim that has been denied by former Internal Security minister, Mr John Michuki. He said the country had enough security personnel to deal with the situation.
Residents at the border have lived in panic since ECK 's announcement of Kibaki as the presidential poll winner.
On one of the nights, a resident of Burumba estate in Busia recalls how nearly 100 families fled from their houses and spent the night in cold for fear of being invaded by Ugandan soldiers.
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In Port Victoria, on the shores of Lake Victoria, the presence of Ugandan troops - who have been sighted by fishermen - has triggered panic.
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