Prime Cabinet Secretary, and the Cabinet Secretary for foreign affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, has met Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni, to reaffirm strong ties, amid concerns over conflicts regarding the Indian Ocean.
The meeting held on Thursday, November 20, at Mayuge State Lounge in Uganda, was also attended by Kenya's High Commissioner to Uganda, Joash Maangi, among other leaders. Kenya also reaffirmed its commitment to the East African Community (EAC) ideology of fostering strong regional integration.
A statement shared by Mudavadi’s office notes that the regional ties championed a politically united, secure, and prosperous East Africa through economic, social, and political cooperation.
In the meeting, the PCS also emphasised that President William Ruto and his Ugandan counterpart would remain aligned in safeguarding stability and mutual interests.
“ Presidents William Ruto and Museveni will continue building bridges that benefit the citizens of both nations,” read part of the statement shared on social media.
The two leaders also discussed other bilateral and regional issues during the visit.
The meeting came a few days after Museveni warned, in an interview, that a conflict with Kenya could arise if landlocked Uganda remained blocked from accessing the Indian Ocean.
In the interview, the Ugandan Head of State emphasised the country’s economic and security priorities, questioning how Uganda could effectively export its products without access to the sea.
“That is why we have had endless discussions with Kenya. We discuss the railway and the pipeline, but that ocean belongs to me. I am entitled to that ocean. In the future, we are going to have wars,” Museveni stated at the interview.
His statements prompted the Kenyan government to issue a statement, saying that his words were taken out of context and should not be interpreted literally.
“I want to assure you that we are not going to go to war, and we as a country have always, since time immemorial, provided safe passage and free passage for goods from landlocked countries," Mudavadi explained in a statement released on November 20.
