Trucks carrying ‘weapons’ to Uganda confiscated in Malaba

BUNGOMA, Kenya, Nov 19- Police and Immigration officials in Bungoma have confiscated two trucks believed to be transporting weapons and ammunition into neighboring Uganda, without proper security escort.

Reporters in the border town have managed to capture video footage of the trucks being held at a police station in Malaba.

According to sources who include police officers, the matter is being handled by Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai.

Police officers at the Webuye Weighbridge told Shahidi News that they have arrested the drivers of the two vehicles.

According to security sources, the Tuesday night arrest was conducted because the cargo they were carrying “was not escorted by security personnel from the point of entry that is the Mombasa port.”

Bungoma Sub-County Commander Mitungi Musyoki said “the trucks were headed to Uganda.”

He did not divulge further details on the type of goods that were being transported.

But sources said they were ferrying weapons to neighboring Uganda.

A police officer who did not want to be quoted due to the sensitivity of the the matter said that the two trailers were among five others that were from Mombasa headed to Kampala.

“High value goods like arms headed to a neighbouring country require communication between the Ministries of foreign affairs from both counties, after which the Kenyan MFA would communicate to the Interior Ministry which would task the GSU to undertake an escort of the haul from the port of entry all the way to the border where the Ugandan security teams would receive it and escort it to its final destination,” a senior security officer explained.

The trucks were moved to Webuye police station under tight police watch.

Armed General Service Unit officers from Nairobi later escorted the trucks to an unknown destination although some sources indicated the escort terminated at the boarder town of Malaba.

Uganda is currently under intense tension over the ongoing presidential elections.