By DANIEL OTIENO danotieno@ke.nationmedia.com and JUSTUS WANGA jwanga@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Saturday, February 18 2012 at 22:30
Posted Saturday, February 18 2012 at 22:30
Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Saturday pledged that the government would root out the corruption clogging the Busia and Malaba border points and delaying goods headed to Kenya’s Ugandan neighbours.
Mr Odinga said that Cabinet had sent a team of five ministers to investigate allegations of rampant bribery that was holding up the movement of goods.
The PM added that measures had been put in place to speed up the clearance of cargo at border posts between Kenya and Uganda.
“The cause of long queues at Malaba and Busia was corruption. We cannot allow this condition to go on. It’s a shame on our national conscience and any officer found flouting the law will face the full force of law,” Mr Odinga said.
Mr Odinga was speaking at the launch of Great Lakes Universities’ Education Trust Fund in Kisumu on Saturday where he hosted Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni.
The PM also asked President Museveni to put in place a 24-hour cargo clearance system on the Ugandan side of the border to speed up movement of goods.
On his part, President Museveni said, “I want all these bottlenecks removed to create a conducive environment for business between the two countries. Trade is the source of livelihood to many in the region.”
President Museveni added that it was imperative for African countries to integrate more if they are to counter the political and economic onslaught from other continents.
“How can African countries compete with big nations like China when you remain fragmented?” President Museveni asked.
Political organisation
He said that economic integration alone was not enough if there was no political organisation.
“Countries like Greece had great inventions initially but now it is one of the poorest nations because of lack of political organisation,” he said.
Mr Museveni also defended his long stay in power, arguing that having been in the government for a long time, he had become an expert on governance issues.
“Some people think that being in the government for a long time is a bad thing. But the more you stay the more you learn. I am now an expert in governance,” he said.
The Ugandan leader has been in power since 1986 and has been criticised for lifting term limits so that he can hold on to power.
At the fundraiser, the Ugandan leader contributed Sh8.2 million while President Kibaki sent a donation of Sh2 million.
Mr Odinga donated Sh1 million. The total raised was Sh31.9 million.
President Kibaki said in a speech read on his behalf by Internal Security minister George Saitoti that the university’s occasion was key to integration of the region and that the Kenya Government had put in place incentives to motivate private investors into the education sector.
During the ceremony, President Museveni was crowned a Luo elder.
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