KAMPALA – Uganda’s opposition party, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), has accused Kenyan authorities of involvement in the arrest and deportation of its members, who were later charged with terrorism in Uganda.
The FDC, which has a history of facing police brutality in Uganda, claims that dozens of its members were detained in Kisumu, Kenya, last week and forcibly returned to Uganda.
Ugandan security officials have defended the arrests, stating that the group was in Kenya for terrorist training.
Kenyan authorities have denied any involvement.
“I am not aware of any arrests of foreigners in Kisumu. I am just reading those details like any other person is, in the media,” said Nyanza Regional Police Commander Patrick Tito.
“If at all there was an operation and arrests made, it was not done by my team or command.”
On Thursday, the FDC announced plans to formally protest to the Kenya High Commission in Kampala, alleging collusion between Kenyan and Ugandan security agents in the arrests of their members who were attending a training session in Kisumu.
Erias Lukwago, president of the FDC’s Katonga faction, stated that 36 members had traveled by road to Kisumu.
He alleged that they were arrested by a combination of Ugandan and Kenyan security services and detained in Luzira Prison on charges of terrorism.
The group, consisting of 34 men and two women, appeared on Monday before the Nakawa Chief Magistrates Court in Kampala. Ugandan police claimed in court that the group traveled to Kisumu between July 22 and 23, 2024, to provide or receive terrorist training.
Upon their return from Kenya, the group was paraded before the media on July 24, 2024, at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala. Paul Mugisha, the External Security Organization (ESO) Liaison and Protocol Officer, informed journalists that the arrests were initiated by Kenyan security, who then informed Uganda.
The FDC members are scheduled to appear in court again on August 31, 2024.
Kisumu County Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o condemned the arrests and called on Kenyan security authorities to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident.
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