Kenya-Uganda border pillars spark row
Jun 01, 2008
THE concrete pillars marking the border between Uganda and Kenya have been vandalised, causing a row among local authorities in districts sharing the common boundary.
THE concrete pillars marking the border between Uganda and Kenya have been vandalised, causing a row among local authorities in districts sharing the common boundary, reports Daniel Edyegu.
A security meeting on May 29 near Mt. Elgon forest reserve ended prematurely when the Kenyan officials led by the Transnzoia East district commissioner, Josephat Kisingis, accused the UPDF of shifting the border pillars U-K 209, 210 and 211 to Kanyeros, about 15km inside Kenya.
The UPDF 3rd Division spokesman, Capt. Henry Obbo, yesterday said preliminary findings showed that pillar 209 was destroyed by people who thought mercury was buried beneath it.
“These could have been fortune seekers from either the Kenyan Pokot or Sabiny community who are misinformed that there’s mercury under these pillars. We have launched a search and some of them will soon be apprehended,†Obbo said.
The division put up a six-member probe team chaired by Lt. Col. Michael Andoga, the 407 brigade commander and Maj. Bob Ogik, the 3rd Division chief intelligence officer.
The UPDF spokesman, Maj. Paddy Ankunda, on Friday said only one pillar had been destroyed under unknown circumstances.
The army has since stepped up security along the border to prevent destruction of more pillars.
“These people could destroy more pillars in their quest for mercury. So we have put our security personnel on high alert to look out for these thugs,†Obbo said.
But the Bukwo chairman, Reuben Chelimo, said the district executive team inspected the pillars along the border and found out that two were destroyed.
“The damaged pillars are in Riwa in Suam sub-county, an area that has been deserted by the Sabiny due to the Kenyan Pokot raids. We suspect the Pokot uprooted these pillars some time back in search for mercury,†Chelimo said.
A security meeting on May 29 near Mt. Elgon forest reserve ended prematurely when the Kenyan officials led by the Transnzoia East district commissioner, Josephat Kisingis, accused the UPDF of shifting the border pillars U-K 209, 210 and 211 to Kanyeros, about 15km inside Kenya.
The UPDF 3rd Division spokesman, Capt. Henry Obbo, yesterday said preliminary findings showed that pillar 209 was destroyed by people who thought mercury was buried beneath it.
“These could have been fortune seekers from either the Kenyan Pokot or Sabiny community who are misinformed that there’s mercury under these pillars. We have launched a search and some of them will soon be apprehended,†Obbo said.
The division put up a six-member probe team chaired by Lt. Col. Michael Andoga, the 407 brigade commander and Maj. Bob Ogik, the 3rd Division chief intelligence officer.
The UPDF spokesman, Maj. Paddy Ankunda, on Friday said only one pillar had been destroyed under unknown circumstances.
The army has since stepped up security along the border to prevent destruction of more pillars.
“These people could destroy more pillars in their quest for mercury. So we have put our security personnel on high alert to look out for these thugs,†Obbo said.
But the Bukwo chairman, Reuben Chelimo, said the district executive team inspected the pillars along the border and found out that two were destroyed.
“The damaged pillars are in Riwa in Suam sub-county, an area that has been deserted by the Sabiny due to the Kenyan Pokot raids. We suspect the Pokot uprooted these pillars some time back in search for mercury,†Chelimo said.