By Okong’o Oduya
Busia Traders have blamed the national government over forced eviction by security officers at Sofia area along the Kenya-Uganda border.
According to them armed Prison officers ambushed them damaging their goods, thus sparking off protests from small scale traders who marched through the streets of Busia to the office of the county government.
Led by Burumba ward member of county assembly , Tony Onyango, the traders complained of harassment by Ugandan authorities who have imposed tough rules on Kenyan traders including denying them a place for drying their maize to reduce moisture content.
Responding to their queries Busia county governor Sospeter Ojaamong confirmed he had talked to County Commission Mongo Chimwanga to halt the eviction exercise and Deputy Governor Kizito Wangalwa to ensure normalcy returns among traders who engage in cross border trade.” The National Government should not succumb to demands from East African Community Member states especially Uganda who want things done their way to satisfy their personal ego.”
Ojaamong noted that Uganda government has been invading Kenyan territories along the border while the national government remains quite.
“Uganda is invading Kenya with impunity while the National Government is just silent. Armed Ugandan security crossed to Kenya at Among’ura and closed the market. They have done the same in Port Victoria, Migingo and now to our traders in Busia,” He Complained.
He further noted that tough conditions had also been imposed on clearing agents who were rendered jobless at Malaba and Busia due to treaties which only hurt Kenyans and benefiting Ugandans.
Ojaamong said even if the traders were to be removed from the buffer zone where they have been operating for over two decades the process has to be carried out in a humane manner and to involve all stakeholders.
He noted that there is a need to relocate these traders showing them alternative place instead of evicting them without notice.
On his side the traders interim chairman Mathenge Kingori said they pay excess and other charges while in Uganda but they were now being denied a place to dry their maize which is a requirement by Kephis to reduce the moisture content to 13.5 before it was allowed into the country. He noted that the Uganda security personnel were frustrating their business yet the national government is not taking any move to protect them.
On his side the area MCA Tony Onyango thanked the county government for addressing the case and ensuring the traders return to work as they continued with negotiations with relevant authorities to return things to normalcy.
