Uganda police have arrested two Kenyans at a town 80km from its eastern border for allegedly trafficking Eritreans.
Police commandant Herbert Muhangi said they intercepted a saloon car carrying four people of Eritrean origin and driven by a Kenyan near Iganga town on its way to the capital Kampala, about 120km away.
Mr Muhangi said the arrests were made following a tipoff.
The Kenyan driver was identified as Mr Edwin Ainok Amuse.
“We interrogated the driver and he told us he was to transport them to Kabalagala on his boss’ orders. He identified his boss as David Bahati and we asked him to call his boss. When the said boss came, we arrested him,” Mr Muhangi said.
The Eritreans - two women and two men - are alleged to have fled their country to seek asylum in Uganda.
“These people did not have travel documents but their destination was Kabalagala. We have established that their relatives were aware of the move and they were waiting for them. They had collaborated with these Kenyans to sneak them into Uganda,” Mr Muhangi said.
Kabalagala is a suburb in Kampala.
Mr Ainok and Mr Bahati are currently detained at Nalufenya police detention centre in Jinja district about 39km southwest of Iganga.
“The two have told us that trafficking persons has been their job for some time now and this is the first time they’re being arrested. We are questioning them to help us understand which other people they sneaked in or out of Uganda,” Mr Muhangi added.
