Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi on Tuesday May 20 revisited the controversial arrest and deportation of Ugandan opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye.
Addressing the incident that stirred regional and international attention last year, Mudavadi was firm in his defense of the government’s decision.
“He (Besigye) came here and there were issues and he had to go,” Mudavadi said, suggesting that Besigye’s entry into Kenya was shrouded in ambiguity.
“I think the manner in which he had come to Kenya were not quite clear, and at that time him being here, and of course certain issues beginning to evolve… I would rather leave it at that, because he’s now in the custody of his nation and his authorities.”
Mudavadi on Besigye Arrest in Kenya
Besigye, a long-time critic of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, was detained briefly in Nairobi before being handed over to Ugandan authorities.
His presence had sparked concerns among some Kenyan opposition figures and human rights groups, who criticized the move as politically motivated and a breach of international asylum norms.
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Mudavadi, however, emphasized that the Kenyan government had to prioritize broader diplomatic considerations.
“We always look at national interest,” he said. “We have to partner with our East African States and sometimes we have to manage those relations very carefully for the broader national interest.”
Regional Diplomacy and Economic Survival
He added that individuals, especially political figures crossing borders, must be mindful of geopolitical dynamics.
“Even as individuals, we must be cognizant that there’s a nation and nations have relationships,” he noted.
Asked whether Besigye’s treatment would have been different had he declared intentions to seek asylum, Mudavadi responded affirmatively.
“Had he said that he was seeking asylum, maybe the treatment would’ve been different,” he remarked.
Pointing to Kenya’s vital trade ties with Uganda, Mudavadi made it clear that economic and strategic concerns played a key role in how Nairobi responded.
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“Uganda is Kenya’s trading partner; a lot of lives and jobs are dependent on that relationship,” he said. “What would happen to the Kenyan economy if there were no more trade between Kenya and Uganda?”
Charges on Besigye
Besigye, along with his associate Hajj Obeid Lutale, were facing legal action over accusations of unlawfully possessing firearms and ammunition.
Authorities also alleged that the two held covert meetings in cities including Nairobi, Athens, and Geneva, where they reportedly sought support intended to destabilize security within Uganda.
In a highly disputed incident in November 2024, the longtime opposition figure was arrested in Nairobi.
Reports claimed he was forcibly taken and brought to Kampala under tight military supervision.
Ugandan officials acknowledged that Kenya played a role in his detention, Kenyan authorities strongly refuted any involvement, maintaining that they had no knowledge of Besigye’s presence in the country at the time of the incident.
Besigye, a veteran politician was bundled into a military jail.
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