MPs yesterday demanded a permanent and long-term solution to constant harassment of Kenyan citizens by the Ugandan government in way of arrests. MPs John Mbadi, Rachel Shebesh and Mohammed Affey refused to accept assurances by assistant foreign affairs minister Richard Onyonka that Uganda has been behaving as a friendly country questioning why it kept on arresting Kenyans and releasing them without charge.

The matter came up after Affey demanded to know status of two MSF Switzerland employees Mussa Hassan and John Lodong arrested by Ugandan authorities in June on suspicion of being Al Shabaab members. "This government has been too apologetic on Uganda however much unfriendly it has been to our people.

Rather than side with the people, this government is always siding with Uganda," Shebesh said. Onyonka however explained that the two were released on police bond and charges were later dropped after investigations ascertained that they had nothing to answer for. He insisted that Uganda was a friendly country and that it had committed itself to observe the law in dealing with Kenyans.

Asked how many Kenyans were in custody of Ugandan authorities, Onyonka said there are no records available to show that. He said Kenya has noted the impression created that Uganda is always harassing Kenyans and had raised the matter with Uganda. He said it was important for Kenya to maintain friendly relations with its biggest trading partner and a neighbor.

"It's always Uganda harassing us! What is the long term solution to this because this issue of friendliness is an excuse! They are quite unfriendly. We are getting irritated especially those of us in the border," Mbadi said. Onyonka insisted that only diplomacy will solve the problem.

At the same time, higher education assistant minister Asman Kamama assured the house that there is no GMO manufactured food or seeds in circulation. He was responding to a question by Eldoret South MP Peris Simam.