Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has confirmed meeting Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi in Mayuge, in a closed-door engagement aimed at reinforcing cooperation and lowering diplomatic tensions following Museveni’s recent public remarks about the Indian Ocean.
The two leaders met this week at the Mayuge State Lodge, where discussions centred on bilateral relations, regional stability, and ongoing cross-border initiatives, according to government sources familiar with the meeting.
The conversation comes days after Museveni questioned Kenya’s exclusive claim to its Indian Ocean coastline, comments that stirred debate across East Africa and prompted calls for reassurance from Nairobi.
Earlier the same day, Mudavadi addressed Kenya’s National Assembly, where he urged legislators to treat Museveni’s comments with perspective and emphasized that the relationship between the two neighbouring states remained strong.
He reiterated that Kenya has long upheld its responsibility to offer secure and unrestricted passage for goods from landlocked nations, including Uganda.
“We are not going to war,” Mudavadi told MPs, adding that Kenya would continue providing safe trade corridors in accordance with international obligations and long-standing regional partnerships.
He also reassured lawmakers preparing to travel to Uganda for upcoming inter-parliamentary sports activities that their security had been fully guaranteed.
Diplomatic concerns had risen after Museveni, speaking to supporters on November 8, 2025, questioned why Uganda should depend solely on Kenya for sea access.
He referenced historical disputes over transport infrastructure, including the Standard Gauge Railway and the crude oil pipeline, while urging East African states to address corridor bottlenecks collaboratively.
Observers say the Mayuge meeting reflects a deliberate effort by both governments to maintain stability, safeguard economic cooperation, and prevent tensions from affecting major regional projects.
The discussion is also seen as a reaffirmation of the longstanding partnership between Uganda and Kenya, two countries whose economic and political ties remain central to East African integration.
