For decades, the relationship between Kenya and Uganda has grown stronger, with the two countries’ leadership embracing unity. The deep, multifaceted relationship between the two nations has helped resolve challenges such as border issues, trade barriers, and transnational crime, among others.
Nonetheless, barely 20 years after both Uganda and Kenya gained independence, during the regimes of Daniel Moi and Yoweri Museveni—who is still president to this day—the two nations came close to war.
In this segment, Times Digital Kenya explains why Kenya and Uganda nearly went to war, despite the two nations viewing each other as vital partners for development.
Cause of the conflict
The conflict dates back to 1987 when both countries nearly engaged in war amid Uganda and Kenya pointing fingers at each other, with each claiming that the other was supporting its country’s rebels
It all started when the government of Daniel Arap Moi publicly stated that soldiers of the National Resistance Army (NRA) from Uganda had attacked unarmed Kenyans, as well as looted and destroyed property.
Prior to this, forces from Kenya and Uganda had engaged in firefights near the border of Busia. As a result, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda alleged that Kenya was backing rebels who were against his government.
On the other hand, Moi’s administration claimed that Uganda had flown 200 Kenyan children to Libya for military training, and that upon their return, Uganda aimed to destabilize Kenya through them.
In response, Yoweri Museveni alleged that Moi was harboring Ugandan rebels in Kenya, providing them with training camps and bases. As such, the Ugandan President stated that he had stationed forces at the Uganda-Kenya border to prevent the rebels from crossing into his country. Moi, however, responded by warning that any attempt by the NRA to violate Kenya’s border would be met with force.
Suspicion between the governments of Kenya and Uganda was also another source of conflict involving the two countries. For instance, Moi suspected that Museveni was supporting the Mwakenya Movement, a group that fought for multipartyism in Kenya.
With Kenya’s government claiming that its Ugandan counterpart allowed the Mwakenya Movement to move freely through Uganda, tensions between Museveni and Moi escalated further.
High Tensions
On December 14, 1987, tensions between Kenya and Uganda escalated, and forces from both countries’ borders engaged in a firefight. At this point, the governments of the two nations announced that they would deploy more soldiers.
The following day, on December 15, clashes between Kenyan and Ugandan soldiers intensified, with reports stating that around 26 Ugandans were killed as they crossed the border.
Three days later, Kenya unexpectedly expelled the Ugandan High Commissioner to Nairobi, Ambassador Charles Katungi, along with his deputy, Samson Bigombe. Kenya also closed the Libyan embassy in Nairobi with immediate effect, sending six Libyan diplomats back to their country.
Kenya claimed that Libya was collaborating with Uganda to overthrow President Moi’s government. Moi then issued a statement claiming that “Uganda was preparing for war.”
Another twist occurred on December 19, when the Kenyan High Commission in Kampala was surrounded by Ugandan security forces, with six Kenyan diplomats allegedly taken hostage.
Although Kenya did not declare it officially, Uganda faced a near-crisis as no goods were coming in from Mombasa.
To resolve the issue, Moi and Museveni later met at the border town of Malaba and agreed to bring the conflict to an end. Both countries agreed to reduce forces at the border to ease tensions, as well as reopen the border to allow the free movement of pedestrians.
