Kenya Moves to Reassure Uganda Amid Tensions Over Indian Ocean Access

In a high-level diplomatic engagement, Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, met with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Thursday to reaffirm the strong bilateral ties between the two nations, against a backdrop of recent tensions over maritime access for the landlocked country.

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The meeting, held at the Mayuge State Lodge in Uganda and attended by Kenya’s High Commissioner to Uganda, Joash Maangi, served to reinforce Kenya’s commitment to regional solidarity within the East African Community (EAC).

A statement from Mudavadi’s office outlined the meeting’s goal to champion “a politically united, secure, and prosperous East Africa.” It emphasized that Presidents William Ruto and Museveni “would remain aligned in safeguarding stability and mutual interests,” and would “continue building bridges that benefit the citizens of both nations.”

However, the diplomatic reassurances followed pointed remarks from President Museveni that had raised concerns. In a recent interview, the Ugandan leader warned that a future conflict with Kenya could arise if Uganda remained effectively blocked from accessing the Indian Ocean, a vital conduit for its exports.

“That is why we have had endless discussions with Kenya. We discuss the railway and the pipeline, but that ocean belongs to me. I am entitled to that ocean. In the future, we are going to have wars,” Museveni stated, framing the issue as a critical economic and security priority for his nation.

The comments prompted a swift response from the Kenyan government, which sought to downplay the bellicose language. On the same day as the Mudavadi-Museveni meeting, the government issued a statement clarifying that the Ugandan President’s words were “taken out of context and should not be interpreted literally.”

Mudavadi moved to allay fears, asserting Kenya’s historical role as a reliable partner for its landlocked neighbors. “I want to assure you that we are not going to go to war, and we as a country have always, since time immemorial, provided safe passage and free passage for goods from landlocked countries,” he explained.

The meeting between Mudavadi and Museveni appears to be a direct effort to contain the diplomatic fallout and steer the conversation back toward collaboration. While both nations publicly reaffirmed their commitment to the EAC’s ideology of integration, the incident underscores the underlying economic pressures and strategic anxieties that continue to test regional alliances in East Africa.

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