KISUMU-Kenya, July 31 — Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o has condemed a joint raid by Kenyan and Ugandan security agents to extract thirty-six officials of Uganda’s opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
Security teams staged a night raid at a hotel on the outskirts of the lakeside city and arrested the officials who were later charged with terrorism-related cases.
“Although the County Government of Kisumu has no link with the politicians, we condemn in the strongest terms possible the Human Rights Violations meted against them while within the territory of Kisumu County,” Nyong’o said on Wednesday.
Nyong’o added that he was informed that the politicians had been lawfully allowed to enter Kenya by Immigration officials to attend the meeting.
He said Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye had told him that the FDC politicians had just concluded a meeting at the Ukweli Pastoral Centre on the outskirts of Kisumu City on July 23 when armed security personel broke into their rooms.
Besigye said the team assaulted the officials before arresting them and driving them back to Uganda in the middle of the night.
“As the Governor of Kisumu where the incident happened, I challenge the Kenyan police to clarify it its officers were involved in the attack and hurriedly deported them while within the territory of Kisumu County and the reason behind the attack,” he added.
He called for detailed investigations into the matter and called on the Ugandan authorities to “tell the world” the crimes the officials committed.
The Governor faulted Kenya’s cooperation with the dramatic raid boting that the country is a democratic State that obeys International Human Rights charters.
He cautioned the national government against allowing Kenya to collaborate with those who curtail the rights of foreign citizens legally in the county.
The 36 activists who were smuggled into the country have since appeared before court and slammed with terrorism charges.
