Kenya to hand over Kismayu to Somalia Govt

President Museveni meeting with Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta during Amison Troop contributing countries to Somalia at Munyonyo Speke Resort on 4th August 2013.

By RISDEL KASASIRA Rkasasira@ug.nationmedia.com
Posted Sunday, August 4 2013 at 18:54

In Summary

• But sources that attended the meeting told Daily Monitor the Somali delegation was accusing Kenyan forces operating in Kisimayu of meddling in the Somalia’s political affairs and handpicking local leaders in the south of Somalia.

Kampala

Regional leaders meeting in Kampala Sunday resolved to hand over the control of the controversial Kismayu sea and airport to the Federal Republic of Somalia.

In a joint communiqué issued Sunday evening, the resolution follows a long running dispute for the facility between the government of Somalia and the Kenya forces. The leaders also banned Somalia from exporting charcoal to Asia with immediate effect.

Before the beginning of the second phase of the war against al shabaab, Somalia was divided into four sectors.

Sector one, which includes Middle Shebelle, Lower Shebelle, and Banadir (with the capital of Mogadishu), is under Uganda.

Sector two is under Kenya and it comprises of Middle and Lower Jubba with Kismayu as its capital. Sector three is under Burundians while sector four is for Djiboutian forces.

The Kampala meeting was attended by presidents: Museveni, (the host) Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta, Somalia's Sheik Hassan Sheik Mahmood, (Ethiopian PM) Hailemariam Desalegn and Andrew Bagali who represented Sierra Leone.

Meanwhile, African Union mission in Somalia wants the number of peacekeepers increased from 17,730 to over 20,000 to beef up troop presence in different parts of the country.

Uganda's Foreign Affairs minister, Sam Kutesa told Journalists in Munyonyo on Saturday that the current African Union force is over stretched and thin on ground.

The creation of zonal forces, Mr Kutesa said would exert pressure on al shabaab fighters who resorted to asymmetrical war after losing most of their main tactical and strategic bases in Somalia to AU forces.

“The force is smaller and over stretched because the area under AMISOM control has been enlarging. The lack of enablers, force multipliers and resourcing constraints threatens the long-term success. This situation requires a deeper assessment by us all,” he said

Uganda, which was the first country to deploy troops in Somalia in 2007, has the highest number of troops. Other countries include Kenya, Djibouti, Sierra Leon and Burundi.

The Presidents of countries contributing troops held a meeting chaired by President Museveni and discussed the mission and need to have force multipliers like helicopters.

But sources that attended the meeting told Daily Monitor the Somali delegation was accusing Kenyan forces operating in Kisimayu of meddling in the Somalia’s political affairs and handpicking local leaders in the south of Somalia.

The Somali Deputy Prime minister, Fowzio Aden reportedly told the meeting that the Kenya’s meddling into the affairs of running the town of Kisamayu had caused clashes between the rival groups.

But Mr Kutesa denied the issue had been discussed. “AMISOM is doing well and there are no such allegations,” he said.

Kibaki's Uganda land scuffle

 

Brigadier Kasirye Ggwanga at his residence in Makindye. Photo by Rachel Mabala/The SundayMonitor

By WYCLIFFE MUIA wmuia@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Sunday, August 4 2013 at 15:19

In Summary

• It was later established that Mr Mugabi’s team seemed to have mixed up the plot numbers as the document they had showed plots number 273 and 732 instead of 461.

Police in Uganda on Thursday were involved in a scuffle with a retired army officer Brig Kasirye Ggwanga who was accused of residing in a piece of land which is allegedly owned by former President Mwai Kibaki.

According to Sunday Monitor Newspaper, Ugandan Deputy Commissioner of police Mr Michael Mugabi stormed Brig Ggwanga’s residence in Kizungu, directing that the retired officer vacates the plot of land he is occupying for it belonged to former Kenyan president, Mr Mwai Kibaki.

Brig Ggwanga however opposed the eviction claiming that Mr Mugabi and his team went to his house without any court order and tried to evict him.

“They came here without any instrument claiming I was staying in Mr Mwai Kibaki’s house. I told them to go to Mengo and find out who leased this property for 49 years,” Brig Ggwanga said.

It was later established that Mr Mugabi’s team seemed to have mixed up the plot numbers as the document they had showed plots number 273 and 732 instead of 461.

“This is my property. Have I gone to Kikuyu land to claim ownership of a house there? How did Kibaki acquire this property?” the Brigadier asked.

He said he had so far stayed in the same house for 20 years and would stay in the same house, “and even renew my lease after 49 years have elapsed”.

When the police spokesperson, Ms Judith Nabakooba, was contacted, she said she didn’t know about the alleged operation to evict Brig Ggwanga.

Asked whether he pulled out his gun and chased the security personnel, Brig Ggwanga said: “I didn’t do that. I only told them to vacate my premises because they were disturbing my peace.”

Brig Ggwanga said the officers introduced themselves, saying they had come to evict him from a property in Lukuli, a low-end suburb “yet I stay in Kizungu”, a generally upscale residential area.