Kenya has appealed to Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni to release nine Kenyan herders held in the country’s prison over alleged murder.
The appeal followed a joint high-level security meeting held in Moroto, Uganda, between a Kenyan delegation and their Ugandan counterparts, aimed at finding a long-term solution to enhance security, peace, and development in the region.
The Kenyans from Turkana county are held in Uganda on accusations of involvement in the killing of Ugandan nationals.
The people of Karamoja in Uganda and Turkana in Kenya are faced with numerous challenges along the border, including insecurity attributed to the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
The meeting was sanctioned by President Museveni and his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto for the leadership of the local communities in Karamoja and Turkana to engage.
Among those in the Kenyan delegation was former Turkana Governor State House Deputy Chief of Staff, Josphat Nanok.
The two countries also said they will consider establishing communication channels and networks to enhance effective communication and coordination on rapid action and conflict.
The high-level security meeting also resolved that the Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries that were signed on September 12, 2019, be reviewed and aligned to emerging issues that affect both sides of the divide.
The Kenya Government committed to collaborating with the Uganda Government in carrying out thorough investigations on the killings of the Uganda nationals by suspected Kenyan herders and ensuring criminals involved in the killing of the geologists are arrested and prosecuted.
The mission added that the Kenya Government will consider mechanisms to strengthen the military liaison office in Karamoja by extending the year of stay and that to facilitate recovery and handover of stolen livestock, the sister governments should deploy adequate security forces on strategic points along the border points, taking into account specific raiding routes and known hide-outs for bandits.
