Having been under speculations and suspense for weeks a Ugandan court finally delivered its judgment in the case of two Kenyan activists who were held incommunicado. The judgment expected by many to bring an end to suspense and usher in justice has proceeded to plant more doubts than solutions further increasing regional fear and stirring renewed controversy regarding protection of human rights across borders.
The activists representing a Kenyan civil society group advocating for democracy and social accountability were arrested in Uganda approximately one month ago allegedly for attending a secret meeting with Ugandan counterparts. Their detention was decried by human rights groups both in Kenya and Uganda which issued calls for publicity and unconditional release accusing the government of international law and freedom of association violation.
The Ugandan court in its ruling held that although the activists were not charged with having done anything wrong, their presence in Uganda would be inconsistent with the country’s internal security policies. The ruling effectively deporting them without clearly specifying a reason has been deemed by others as politically motivated and evasive.
Kenyan authorities have since issued a deep concern statement over how the case has been handled and promised to take diplomatic action to secure the safety of citizens. East African human rights activists counter that the incident creates a foreboding precedent for activists across the region where demands for justice and accountability are responded to with increasing hostility by the state.
As the activists depart for home the ongoing enigma of their arrest questioning and imminent deportation keeps the public holding its breath for an explanation and asking what this judgment says about freedom of speech in the East African Community.
By Nairobi