Kenya no longer safe for Opposition, leaders say

Opposition leaders from Uganda yesterday separately revealed that Kenya is no longer safe for their members.

With the Saturday arrest of the four-time presidential candidate, Dr Kizza Besigye, from his hotel room in Nairobi, and the recent arrest of 36 members of the newly formed People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) party in Kisumu, political leaders and experts said Kenya is now a danger zone for opposition politicians.
Leaders from PFF where Dr Besigye belongs said the Kenyan government owes them an explanation as to why it is increasingly becoming unsafe for its members.
Mr Erias Lukwago, the interim president of PFF, said: “We need to understand the games the Kenyan government and its Ugandan counterparts are playing because this tells volumes about the viability of the East African Community (EAC).”
He added: “… [because] it appears to be a conspiracy to persecute the opposition and make sure that Kenya is unsafe for us to carry out legitimate activities.”
Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, the president of the National Unity Platform (NUP) party, said: “We are back to the dark days when Ugandans were casually picked from the streets of Nairobi and returned to Uganda to be tortured, jailed and others executed.”
“The abduction of Ugandan citizens from Kenya and handing them over to the regime in Uganda without following extradition laws must be condemned by all people of good conscience.”
Relatedly, political experts and several political leaders from Kenya and Tanzania under their umbrella body, Pan-African Opposition Leaders Solidarity Network, said the Kenyan territory was increasingly becoming a danger zone for international political opponents.
Dr Sarah Bireete, the executive director of the Center for Constitutional Governance, said: It is extremely saddening to see a progressive democracy like Kenya becoming a hotspot for political abductions in the region.”
“Presidents Ruto and Museveni should be reminded that there are extradition laws and procedures to be followed in case of the need to arrest foreigners in their countries and failure to follow the same is an extreme abuse of power that is a danger and threat to the EAC integration process.”
Ms Martha Karua, National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) party leader in Kenya, said: “We condemn this blatant abuse of the law by the regime here in Uganda, and sadly the authorities in Kenya. We are back to the dark days when Ugandans were casually picked from the streets of Nairobi and returned to Uganda to be tortured, jailed and others executed.”
Mr James Orengo, the governor of Siaya County in Kenya, said: “It is disturbing to learn that Kizza Besigye, a well-known patriot and prominent political leader, was abducted in Nairobi and driven across the border to Uganda against his will, having entered Kenya lawfully.”
He added: “Dr Besigye did not come to Kenya as a fugitive. The most disturbing question in this saga is that the abduction was carried out by elements of Kenya's security organs.”
But Dr Chris Baryomunsi, Uganda’s Information minister, defended the arrest.
“You can be arrested from anywhere because countries have treaties or instruments they sign between them that allow extradition if you committed a crime and they find you in country X, you can be arrested and brought back to the country,” he said.

What different players say
Erias Lukwago, interim president of People’s Front for Freedom party: The Kenyan government owes us an explanation as to why their territory is increasingly becoming unsafe for opposition leaders in Uganda. This is not the first time it has happened. We need to understand the games the Kenyan government and its Ugandan counterparts are playing….

Robert Kyagulanyi, president of the National Unity Platform party: We condemn this blatant abuse of the law by the regime here in Uganda, and sadly the authorities in Kenya. We are back to the dark days when Ugandans were casually picked from the streets of Nairobi and returned to Uganda to be tortured, jailed and others executed.
Joel Ssenyonyi, Leader of Opposition: It's absurd that Kenya is becoming an accomplice in the committing of illegalities against Ugandans.
Patrick Amuriat Oboi, President of Forum for Democratic Change: I condemn in the strongest terms the kidnapping of FDC founder President Dr Kizza Besigye. Whatever the charges against him, we know just as well as the Museveni regime does, they are trumped up to silence the opposition to the regime. The authorities in Uganda together with their collaborators in Kenya must stop violating the rights of Ugandan citizens. President William Ruto needs to come out clear if we are unwelcome to his country.
Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, the MP Kira Constituency and spokesperson of PFF: This incident has exposed the vulnerability of the Kenyan state where now Mr. Museveni can walk in and out as he wishes. We recently had 36 of our colleagues kidnapped from there. Now it's our leader. I am one of those who had admired the democracy of Kenya, and the way they change their leaders but I think President Ruto has become a disaster.
Alice Alaso, National Coordinator, Alliance for National Transformation party: The arrest of Dr Besigye in this manner is so scary to us the opposition political players, it is very unfortunate and I think the Kenyan government needs to explain to us why our people are not arrested formally and extradited As ANT, we condemn this acts and call for the restoration of rule of law.
Sarah Birete, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Governance: Presidents Ruto and Museveni should be reminded that there are extradition laws and procedures to be followed in case of the need to arrest foreigners in their countries and failure to follow the same is an extreme abuse of power that is a danger and threat to the EAC integration process.
Dr Chris Baryomunsi, ICT Minister via UBC: You can be arrested from anywhere because countries have treaties or instruments they sign between them that allow extradition if you committed a crime and they find you in country X, you can be arrested and brought back to the country.
Martha Karua, National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) party leader in Kenya: We are back to the dark days when Ugandans were casually picked from the streets of Nairobi and returned to Uganda to be tortured, jailed and others executed. The abduction of Ugandan citizens from Kenya and handing them over to the regime in Uganda without following extradition laws must be condemned by all people of good conscience.
James Orengo, Governor of Siaya County in Kenya. Mr Besigye did not come to Kenya as a fugitive. The most disturbing question in this saga is that the abduction was carried out by elements of Kenya's security organs. Abductions characterise the operations and nature of the state in Kenya and violate the principles and values of the Constitution of Kenya 2010. Kenya must decide whether we want to be a constitutional democracy governed by the primacy of the Bill of Rights and tenets of justice, or a tyranny.
Resila Atieno Onyango, Kenya National Police Spokesperson: I have spoken to Nairobi Regional Commander Adamson Bungei and he says nothing has been reported of an abduction.