Kenyan, Ethiopian ties remain warm despite expulsions

Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) – Relations between Kenya and
Ethiopia will not be ruined by the expulsion of four
suspected Ethiopian secret agents accused of running
covert operations, including abductions and torture,
officials affirmed here on Thursday.

“The Kenyan government has been investigating the
activities of these people. They (spies) have made the
lives of Kenyans miserable. They have now been deported
because we cannot support people whose operations are not
authorised,” Kenyan government spokesman Alfred Mutua told
journalists in Nairobi.

Police sources confirmed the deportations but warned that
even though the Ethiopians were deported, the procedure
used was wrong, insisting that a court order would have
been sought before the suspects were deported.

The four were arrested two weeks ago on suspicion of
running illegal operations, including abduction and
torture of Ethiopian refugees in Kenya.

“We caught people whose credentials were questionable.
Their activities were also questionable. Since they did
not have papers to guarantee their stay, we had to do it,”
Mutua said.

Kenyan newspapers reported that the suspected agents have
been living in the country and doing various profitable
businesses in Nairobi before police arrested them.

The deportation of the suspected spies came as Kenyan
President Mwai Kibaki flew to Ethiopia to hold bilateral
talks with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on improving the
cross border security between the two countries.

“Ethiopia is still a friendly country. The border
insecurity between us is not linked to any territorial
disputes or land disputes. These (militias) are just
people who are carrying out raids for economic gains,”
Mutua told a news conference.

Kenyan officials said the Oromo Liberation Front fighters
have been fuelling the insecurity on the two country’s
border.

“These people steal our cars. They have caused a lot of
suffering,” Mutua said, adding that the escalating
insecurity around the border areas was linked to the open
nature of the border.