This archive report was first published on 17 September 2019.
On Monday evening, Raila Odinga, the AU Envoy, was given a state reception by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni at State House in Entebbe. The meeting was a significant one, as it marked the first time Mr. Odinga had met the Ugandan leader at State House, given his role in President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration.
According to Mr. Odinga, the two leaders discussed regional and continental issues ahead of the Public Private Partnership Conference in Kampala, Uganda. The conference is a key event, and both Mr. Odinga and President Museveni are keynote speakers.
It is worth noting that President Uhuru Kenyatta had sidelined his deputy, William Ruto, from attending the conference, despite his natural role as the head of state's representative. This move has raised eyebrows, given the significance of the event.
Mr. Odinga took to Twitter to share his experience, stating, "Held a meeting with President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda at State House Entebbe focusing on regional and continental issues ahead of the Public Private Partnership Conference in Kampala. In attendance also was Kiema Kilonzo, Kenya's envoy to Uganda."
Mr. Odinga's meeting with President Museveni is not the first time the two leaders have met. Last year, they privately met to discuss the consistent harassment of Kenyan fishermen at Migingo Island in Lake Victoria. Mr. Odinga maintained that Migingo is in Kenya, and that several islands claimed by Uganda were originally in Kenya but were grabbed by the late Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.
The agenda of the meeting will primarily be to re-examine the water boundary between the two countries. Mr. Odinga urged Kenyan fishermen to be patient, as the issue will now be permanently resolved.
