Kenya sends protest note over Makerere deaths

The Kenyan government has sent a protest note to Uganda over the killing of two Kenyan students at Kampala’s Makerere University.

Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetang’ula said the preliminary reports showed that the killings were “reckless criminal acts” and that the culprit had been apprehended.

“If available evidence will point to any contrary conclusions then we’ll deal with it appropriately,” he said.

The Minister said he had asked the Kenya High Commissioner in Uganda, Mr Jeffrey Okanga to monitor the situation at the university, following unconfirmed reports that all Kenyan students could be at risk in Uganda.

He said the 40,000 Kenyan students studying in Uganda had been granted State protection to keep them off any harm.

“We also appeal to our students to exercise diligence and avoid unnecessary confrontation,” said Mr Wetang’ula.

The minister spoke at a news conference on the sidelines of constitution workshop at the Kenya Institute of Administration.

He said the Ugandan government had beefed up security at the Makerere University to avert any violence.

“We are in contact with the families of the students, both of them from Western Kenya, and we have already sent our condolences to them,” said the minister.

Brian Amuoga, a first year Bachelor of Law student, and Ignatius Nyongesa, a third year Commerce student, were killed after a scuffle between supporters of two rival guild presidential candidates at God Is Able Hostel in Kikoni, a suburb of Makerere.

A third student, Amon Mugezi, who is Ugandan, was in a critical condition with injuries in the neck. He is fighting for his life at Mulago Hospital.