President William Ruto’s government has been put on the spot over the fate of some 41 Turkana herders who were court marshalled in Uganda.
Appearing before the National Assembly Public Petitions Committee, Hon. Protus Kuja said the family of the 41 are yet to see their loved ones.
“We have had many villagers go in unison to Uganda, looking for their loved ones who were court marshalled. Is this really fair to the people of Turkana?” Posed Hon. Kuja.
Daniel Epuyo Nanok, MP for Turkana West lamented the silence of the Foreign Affairs Ministry for ignoring the plight of the arrested Kenyans.
“It is like we are on our own. Where is the Ambassador to Uganda? Where are the liaison officers? No one from Kenya is negotiating for their freedom.”
The herders were arrested shortly after three geologists and two Ugandan People Defense Forces were killed last year, while on a mineral mapping assignment. The murdered soldiers’ guns were taken.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni then ordered a police exercise which led to the arrest of 9 herders.
Uganda then gave Kenyans an ultimatum to negotiate their release, including a plan to share resources to which the Kenyan government, according to Hon. Kuja, did not resolve.
The Ugandan government later in an executive order, banned Turkana herdsmen from crossing over into Uganda with their guns.
“The Turkana must never come to Uganda with guns,” Museveni said in an executive order