By Our Binocular
Kenya’s President William Ruto plans to meet his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni in the coming days to resolve a diplomatic conflict over the fuel import dispute.
The neighbouring country has already sued Nairobi at the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) after Kenya rejected a request to use Kenya’s pipeline to transport its fuel from the port of Mombasa directly to Kampala.
East African Community and Regional Development Cabinet Secretary (CS) Peninah Malonza on Friday confirmed the plans for high-level talks between Ruto and Museveni.
She said the purpose of the meeting is for the two leaders to diplomatically iron out the tiffs and thaw relations.
Malonza downplayed the dispute, saying each member state of the EAC was founded on its democratic principles and is therefore entitled to pursue its best trade interests.
“There is a scheduled meeting between the two presidents to discuss the impasse and Kenya will also seek to explain her position during the next East Africa Community Heads of States Summit,” She told journalists in Kitui on Friday.
The CS did not, however, disclose the date and venue of the high-level meeting.
State House is yet to release President Ruto’s itinerary in the coming days.
“There is no cause for alarm because such trade disagreements are normal. Each country is established under different laws and principles and therefore we relate on the basis of the binding treaties and other diplomatic protocols,” she said.
Malonza disclosed that Kenya continues to engage Uganda and all EAC partner states on trade matters because the Community was established to work together for mutual benefit and to promote the welfare of the people of East Africa.
“Uganda is not only Kenya’s biggest trading partner, it is also the biggest market for Kenyan oil. Nairobi and Kampala have co-existed very well since independence and both countries value each other’s economic potential,” she said.
She said Uganda is a Group A market for Kenya’s oil, buying 90 per cent of its oil from Kenya, so it was natural for it to take a keen interest in the affairs of its main trading partner.
In November last year, the High Court in Nairobi barred the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) from processing a licence application from the Uganda National Oil Company (Unoc).
