They’re not war criminals! Leaders deported from Kenya are defended by FDC

The Forum for the Democratic Change (FDC), an opposition group in Uganda, is accusing Kenyan authorities of being involved in the violent detention and expulsion of its members, following which they were charged with terrorism.

The veterans of FDC were accustomed to harsh arrests and detentions by Ugandan police. However, last week saw the arrest and forced return of some FDC members to Uganda, which put Kenya under fire.

Subsequently, Ugandan security officials rationalized the action by asserting that the group had traveled to Kenya for terrorist training.

Kenyan authorities denied being involved in the incident when contacted for comment on the reported arrests in Kisumu, stating they were unaware that the incident had occurred.

“As far as I know, no foreigners have been arrested in Kisumu. According to Patrick Tito, the commander of Nyanza Regional Police, “I am just reading those details in the media like any other person would.”

“My team or command did not conduct any operation or make any arrests,” he continued.

In response to what they described as “collusion between security agents in Kenya and Uganda” to arrest their members who were attending a training in Kisumu, the party said on Thursday that it will formally protest to the Kenya High Commission in Kampala.

Erias Lukwago, the president of the Katonga faction party, stated that the 36-person group had traveled to the Kenyan city by car. But they were apprehended by a joint force of Kenyan and Ugandan security agencies, and they were detained on terrorism-related charges and taken to Luzira Prison.

The group, which consists of 34 men and 2 women, came before Kampala’s Nakawa Chief Magistrates Court on Monday.

The group traveled from different parts of Uganda to Kisumu between July 22 and 23, 2024, according to claims made by Ugandan police in court, with the intention of giving or receiving terrorist training.

The group was paraded before the media on July 24, 2024, at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala following their return from Kenya. At this event, Mr. Paul Mugisha, Liaison and Protocol Officer for the External Security Organization (ESO), told journalists that the group had been arrested in Kisumu for engaging in suspicious activities, and that Kenyan security had notified Uganda of the arrests prior to the group’s return to Kampala.

The next time they appear in court is August 31, 2024.

Anyang’ Nyong’o, the governor of Kisumu County, denounced the detention and demanded an explanation from the Kenyan security services.

The governor noted in a statement that the politicians received legitimate permission from immigration officials to enter Kenya in order to attend the conference. He added that even though he had no personal connection to the politicians, it was regrettable that this had occurred in his domain.

“As the governor of Kisumu, the location of the incident, I challenge the Kenyan police to provide information on the occurrence, including whether or not its officers participated in the attack and hasty deportation of the Ugandans.

Since Kenya upholds the terms of international human rights treaties and cannot be perceived as restricting people’s rights, he requested the Kenyan police to explain their role in the arrest.

Prof. Nyong’o stated on Thursday that “it has the party’s stalwarts accusing Nairobi of playing into Uganda’s brutal hands against opposition groups.”

The 36 lawmakers’ offenses should be made public by the Ugandan government as well. Kenya is a democratic nation that upholds international human rights charters; as such, it should not be utilized to restrict the rights of individuals who are lawfully residing in the nation.

When it comes to suspect extradition, Kenya and Uganda typically follow the protocols of the East African Community. However, there have been issues in the past, such as the unlawful return of Kenyans to Uganda for criminal prosecutions.