Silverio Omari
Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o has strongly condemned the violent arrest of 36 Ugandan politicians from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Party in Kisumu. Nyong’o reported that the politicians were forcefully detained from a guest house in Kisumu last week.
According to Ugandan opposition leader Dr. Kiiza Besigye, the FDC politicians had just finished a meeting at the Ukweli Pastoral Center on July 23, 2024, when a group of armed individuals, believed to be Ugandan and Kenyan security personnel, stormed their rooms. They were assaulted, arrested, and forcibly returned to Uganda in the middle of the night.
Nyong’o emphasized that the politicians had been granted legal entry into Kenya by immigration officials to attend their meeting.
“Although the Kisumu County Government had no involvement with the politicians, we strongly condemn the human rights violations they endured within Kisumu County,” Nyong’o stated.
He has called on the Kenyan Police to clarify whether their officers were involved in the attack and the reason behind the swift deportation of the Ugandans.
“As the governor of Kisumu, where this incident occurred, I urge for a thorough investigation into the matter,” Nyong’o added.
The governor also urged Ugandan authorities to disclose the nature of the crimes the 36 politicians are accused of. He stressed that Kenya, as a democratic nation that upholds international human rights standards, should not be used to suppress the rights of individuals legally present in the country.
