A section of Uganda Members of Parliament (MPs) have complained of harsh treatment from bribe thirsty Kenyan police officers.
The lawmakers complained that during road trips to Kenya, they had severally been harrassed and threatened with arrest by traffic officers demanding for bribes.
According to one of the MPs, Peter Ogwang, he was forced to forfeit a trip to Nairobi when a number of police officers solicited for bribes along the road.
Another, Mbale Woman Representative Connie Galiwango, narrated how she was stopped at several roadblocks on her way to Mombasa with officers at each stop demanding for money.
She rallied the country’s leadership to step in to address the issue which now threatens diplomatic relations between Kenya and Uganda.
“When Kenyans come to Uganda, we treat them well. However, when we are in their country, they mistreat us. Our leaders have to address this issue,” Ms Galiwango said.
Contributing to the debate, Kasilo MP Elijah Okupa suggested that Uganda should subject Kenyans to similar treatment when they visit their nation.
On her part, House Speaker Rebecca Kadaga questioned why the legislators were being treated unfairly accusing Kenya of insulting President Yoweri Museveni by such a gesture.
“Your passports, they say ‘this is to require, in the name of the President of Uganda, that you allow this person to move’. If they are objecting to our movement in their country, it is an insult to the President of the Republic of Uganda,” stated Kadaga.
The seemingly angry Speaker directed that the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs investigate the matter.
“It is very serious. We cannot go on like this. We are directing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue a diplomatic note immediately to the Government of Kenya,” she ordered.
Source : Kenyans
