Eastern Africa

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South Sudan demands withdrawal of Ugandan troops from its soil

South Sudan leaders in Magwi County in Eastern Equatorial state are demanding that Uganda immediately withdraws its soldiers from their territory, describing continued presence of UPDF on their land as inappropriate. The leaders claim that the UPDF soldiers were taken to the area to flush out the LRA rebels out of the area but even after finishing their mission, the soldiers are allegedly still in the area, engaging in dubious exploitative activities including illegal lumbering and distribution of Sudanese land to Ugandans. The Commissioner of Magwi County, Mr Peter Bongomin Ochilo, during a border meeting over the weekend in Magwi claimed that the presence of the UPDF among the communities of Pajok, Payam and Owinykibul is continuously causing fear, tension and insecurity. “Now that there is peace in our land, we ask the Ugandan soldiers to get out of our land. Their presence is psychologically torturing our people,” Mr Ochilo said.

Kenyan President in Uganda for Museveni fete

Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki arrived in Kampala, Uganda Wednesday to attend the swearing-in and inauguration ceremony of his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni. The swearing-in and inauguration ceremony will be held at Kololo Ceremonial Ground in Kampala Thursday. During his trip, President Kibaki is also expected to attend a tripartite meeting of the leaders of Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. He is also expected to meet with the Prime Minister of Ethiopia Meles Zenawi in Kampala. President Museveni's swearing-in comes in the wake of food protests in the capital Kampala, which led to the arrest of opposition leader Kizza Besigye.

Govt intensifies patrols along Kenya-Ethiopia border

President Mwai Kibaki has assured wananchi that Kenyan security officers have intensified patrols along the Kenya-Ethiopia border with a view to forestalling a recurrence of violence in the area. Noting that early this month the country lost several lives during a cross-border conflict on the Kenya-Ethiopia border, President Kibaki said his Government responded promptly to this security challenge by deploying additional security personnel in the affected border area. "Following this deployment, peace and security has since been restored," the Head of State said.

The President was speaking Friday at the Recruits Training School in Eldoret where he presided over the passing out parade of newly qualified Armed Forces recruits.

Ugandan oppos'n leader returns on inauguration day

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Uganda's top opposition leader has returned to the country on the same day President Yoweri Museveni is to be sworn in. Kizza Besigye landed in Uganda on Thursday, one day after being prevented from flying home on a Kenya Airways flight. Large crowds of supporters lined the road to welcome back Besigye, who had gone to Kenya for medical treatment after a brutal arrest by security forces, who fired tear gas or pepper spray at the opposition leader at point-blank range.
Anne Mugisha, a top leader in Besigye's opposition party, said she is happy Besigye was back in Uganda.
Museveni, the country's 25-year-year leader, is being sworn in to his latest term on Thursday. Museveni defeated Besigye in elections February.

We must all help build the new South Sudan

This week, Africa welcomes its 56th independent state, born out of a nation torn apart by decades of civil war. The journey to Independence has been long and treacherous one, one that saw millions of Sudanese lose their lives and many more uprooted from a country they once called home. As a result, for decades, the neighbouring countries of Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Tanzania had to live with the burden of hosting thousands of refugees fleeing the war-torn country. It was a great relief for the East African Community member states when the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the deal that ended the war between the North and South, came into effect in 2005. Though it is always good to celebrate the birth of a new country, it is important for the East African leadership, in particular, and the international community, in general, to take note that South Sudan is not yet there.

Kagame reshuffles security chiefs

RWANDAN President Paul Kagame has reshuffled the leadership of his security services, naming the former deputy commander of the UN-African Union force in Sudan’s Darfur region as his intelligence supremo. Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Karenzi Karake, arrested for misconduct last year but later freed after being pardoned, takes over as chief of national intelligence an official statement said yesterday.
He replaces Col. Emmanuel Ndahiro, who was transferred to the defense ministry. The transfer of the long-serving national intelligence chief, Ndahiro, to defence was seen by analysts as a demotion. Kagame, who faces opposition from former members of his inner circle now living in exile, also named Brig. Gen. Richard Rutatina, his adviser on defence and security issues, as head of military intelligence. Capt. Patrick Karuretwa steps into Rutatina’s previous post.
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Uganda: Fugitive Col. Edson Muzoora is dead

Col. Edson Muzoora is dead. The body of the alleged army dissident, suspected to have been among leaders of Peoples Redemption Army(PRA) by security sources in Uganda, was found dumped at his home in Nyanga, Kyeigombe in Igara, Bushenyi district, the army and police have confirmed.

Army spokesperson Col. Felix Kulaigye told the Daily Monitor on telephone that they have been informed of Col. Muzoora’s death but said he would have loved to have him alive, arrested and charged with desertion. “I cannot account for him. I did not wish him death and we would have wanted him alive and charged with desertion,” said Col. Kulaigye.

Kulaigye said Muzoora deserted the army in 2003 and the army last traced his trail when they were still fighting rebels in DR Congo and have since lost track of his whereabouts.