KENYA – UGANDA : KENYAN OFFICIALS STORM OUT OF MEETING IN UGANDA

President Uhuru Kenyatta (left) and President Yoweri Museveni
during a past summit in Uganda.

By Geoffrey Lutta

Kenyan delegates walked out of a meeting with their Ugandan counterparts over a trade disagreement on Tuesday, October 19. The meeting was organised to end the standoff over fish that was impounded by Ugandan authorities. Four tracks of fish that were reported to be immature were allegedly impounded by the Ugandan authorities en route to the Democratic Republic of Congo from Kenya.

The Kenyan officials, who were led by Ambassador Julius Kiema Kilonzo, stormed out of the meeting chaired by the Uganda State Minister for Fisheries Hellen Adoa, sighting alleged harassment from the neighboring country.

“We are tired. Very tired,” one of the delegates from Kenya could be heard shouting in a video published by NTV Uganda on Tuesday, October 19. The officials while walking away noted that they are going to escalate the matter since the meeting had failed to reach a consensus.

“Our consignment is rotting for over three weeks. You had an intention of selling our fish, you go ahead and do that,” another delegate shouted while walking away.

The Kenyan officials blamed their Ugandan counterparts for feeding the government with misleading information.

“The information they are giving the State Minister for Fisheries is wrong. It’s totally wrong to claim that our fish is immature,” the delegate added. 

Kenyan Officials Meeting Their Ugandan Counterparts on Tuesday, October 19

Authorities from both countries have not issued an official statement regarding the incident. Both countries have been on crossroads over the fish business.

This comes just days after thirty six fishermen, who were detained after a Kenyan fisherman was shot dead by Ugandan authorities in Lake Victoria, were released unconditionally.

The fishermen from Suba North and Suba South constituencies in Homa Bay were arrested near Ringiti Island in August.

The Ugandan security officers took them to Lolwe Island and detained them over alleged trespassing when fishing in the lake.

Homa Bay County Commissioner, Moses Lilan, stated the fishermen were released following  successful negotiations between Kenyan security officials and their Ugandan counterparts.