While Kenyan authorities have vacillated between denying knowledge of the operation and remaining silent, Ugandan officials say a lot of information has been shared between the two countries.
“The Ugandan government has contacted the Kenyan government. Otherwise, how would you arrest someone in the middle of Nairobi and then bring him to Uganda, either by airport or by land, without the full knowledge and support of the state? Are you there Kenya?” Information Minister Baryomunsi told Uganda’s NBS TV.
Many Kenyans are questioning the nature of the security relationship between the two countries and whether there has been full disclosure that Besigye will be charged in a military court.
On Tuesday, Kenya’s acting Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi refrained from giving a clear answer, pleading with reporters that his country should not be judged “too harshly.”
Mudavadi, who is also acting interior minister, said Kenya was an open country that allowed “a lot of dignity”. However, he warned foreigners not to create a rift between Kenya and his home country.
He described Uganda as Kenya’s ‘strong partner’ and said the Besigye issue would be resolved diplomatically.
Uganda’s admission that Kenya was involved in the kidnapping caused the Kenyan government to face backlash both in Uganda and at home.
Some Ugandans protested outside the Kenyan embassy in Kampala, while others threatened to boycott Kenyan brands.
Besigye’s detention follows a series of high-profile kidnappings and disappearances in Kenya, including the forced deportation of four Turkish refugees to Ankara. There they faced charges of conspiracy against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Additional reporting by Alan Kasujja
