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Joseph Etabo

Ugandan official stranded in Kenya


Former Deputy Speaker of Moroto District council Lomisi Swaib is stranded in Kenya following the impoundment of his vehicle in a crackdown of non-compliant PSV's conducted by Kenyan authorities in Lodwar.


Swaib said he had visited his friends in Lodwar town before the multi-agency intercepted his vehicle in Lodwar town two weeks ago.


"I am stranded here in Lodwar. I am using a lot of money to facilitate my stay in Kenya because I do not have any vehicle to take me back home,” said the former deputy speaker.


He revealed that he does not operate any business in Kenya but always visits his friends whom he interacted with as a result of free border movement between Kenya and Uganda at the Lokiriama border.


“When my vehicle was impounded, I was never instructed on what to do, instead I was referred to Malaba Border which is far from Lodwar and the vehicle was taken to Lodwar Police Station," he narrated.



“My family has always worried about me since my vehicle was intercepted. They call every time to check on me and the progress of its release,” he said.


Turkana Drivers and Transport Association chairperson Maxwell Ikamar has castigated the act by Kenyan authorities for intimidating the former Ugandan official.


“It was unfair leaving the former official without any instructions on how to get what is needed. We need to live in peace with our neighbours because many of our vehicles operate in Uganda,” stated Ikamar.


He further said that the Lokiriama border has to be officially gazetted to ease free movement from Turkana to Moroto District.


“We understand that everything in Kenya is digital. I fail to understand why we refer people to far places like Malaba. I was expecting that the process would have been handled and completed instantly using technology,” added Ikamar.


Paul Lokopu, popularly known as Msungu, Turkana Drivers and Transport Association spokesperson echoed the sentiments of his chairperson calling on embracing the current relationship that Kenya and Uganda have to improve the trade and transport sector in the region.


David Iria, a close friend of the former Deputy speaker who was hosting him, has called on the authority to release the vehicle to allow the Ugandan former boss to return home.


“The former speaker is now broke. We urge the authorities to release his vehicle so that he can go back to his family," said his friend.


Loima Sub County Police Commander Wilfred Mogere has said the crackdown was universal for every vehicle that was non-compliant to the directives issued by the government.


He urged the vehicle owner to follow the rules to avoid the claws of the law.

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