Kenya, Sudan resolve border dispute

By Lucas Ng’asike

Southern Sudan has agreed to plans by Kenya to build Immigration offices at the Nadapal border point.

The agreement was reached after a high-level diplomatic meeting in Lokichoggio on Monday.

The talks also helped diffuse tension following recent attacks by suspected Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) soldiers and raiders in Kenyan territory.

"The meeting was successful because it diffused tension and the dispute along the border since last month," said a senior police officer who attended the meeting.

Ministers George Saitoti (Internal Security) Otieno Kajwang’ (Immigration), James Orengo (Lands) and Moses Wetang’ula (Foreign Affairs) and John Munyes (Labour) attended.

They toured the Kenya-Sudan border and held a two-hour closed door meeting with their Sudanese officials led by Maj-Gen Gier Chuang Aluong, who is also Southern Sudan’s Minister for Internal Affairs.

The meeting at Lokichoggio 748 hotel was heavily guarded. Sudan Eastern Equatorial State Deputy Governor John Echom, however, did not attend.

Sources privy to the meeting said some top officials from Sudan had taken a hard-line position on the Nadapal issue.

Follow up meeting

The crisis meeting on Monday was a follow up by the Government on an agreement reached in Nairobi last month, to allow Kenya to build Immigration offices at Nadapal.

Southern Sudan Government has Immigration offices at the Nadapal border crossing.

The Nadapal border point is about 25km from Lokichoggio town in Turkana West District.

Two months ago, SPLA officials restrained Kajwang’ and Munyes from visiting Nadapal.

The two ministers had gone to assess where immigrations offices would be built.

Over the last three weeks, a police officer, elders, villagers, and relief agency workers have been reportedly killed by men locals suspect are linked to SPLA. Residents lost livestock during the raids.

On one point, police guarding a peace meeting convened by Rift Valley PC Osman Warfa were mobilised to repulse the attackers.

Lokichoggio town hosted most of Southern Sudan leaders now serving in government during the armed conflict in their country.