1.
SV PRISONERS UP STEPS FROM CELLS INTO COURTYARD.
0.13

2.
CU GUARDS.
0.15

3.
MV ARMY PRISONERS MOVE ALONG.
0.26

4.
SV GUARDS.
0.27

5.
CU CIVILIAN PRISONERS TO CAMERA.
0.36

6.
CU PRISONERS, PAN...TO REST.
0.49

7.
CU TWO ARMY PRISONERS.
0.52

8.
CU ANOTHER ARMY PRISONER.
0.55

9.
MV PAN...ARMY PRISONERS.
1.00

10.
GV PAN... PRISONERS WAITING TRANSPORTATION.
1.07



Initials DE/V/JF/PC


EDITORS: (REFER ALSO TO PROD No. 4801/65 "KENYA - CAPTURED ARMS CONVOY BROUGHT TO NAIROBI" SERVICED MAY 21).

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: APPEARING IN COURT YESTERDAY (TUESDAY) IN KENYA WERE FORTY-SEVEN UGANDANS. THEY FACED CHARGES IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSFERENCE OF ARMS ACROSS KENYA INTO UGANDA. BUT LESS THAN TWENTY FOUR HOURS AFTER THIS TRIAL BEGAN THE KENYA GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THAT THE PRISONERS WERE TO BE RELEASED, AND THAT THE CONFISCATED ARMS WERE TO BE SENT TO UGANDA.

THE UGANDANS WERE ARRESTED ON MAY 15 WHEN A CONVOY OF CHINESE ARMS WERE SEIZED BY THE KENYA GOVERNMENT. THE ARMS WERE BEING TAKEN ACROSS KENYA FROM TANZANIA TO UGANDA. THE KENYA GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THAT IT WAS RELEASING THE PRISONERS AND THE ARMS AFTER RECEIVING A FULL APOLOGY FOR THE INCIDENT FROM THE UGANDA GOVERNMENT. DR. MILTON OBOTE, THE UGANDA PRIME MINISTER, FLEW INTO NAIROBI FOR TALKS WITH PRESIDENT KENYATTA AT ABOUT THE TIME THE TRIAL WAS BEGINNING, A HUNDRED MILES AWAY IN NAKURU.

EXPLAINING WHY THE ARMS HAD BEEN SHIPPED THROUGH KENYA, DR. OBOTE SAID THAT THE SHIPMENT HAD BEEN UNLOADED AT DAR ES SALAAM IN TANZANIA AFTER AN AGREEMENT HAD BEEN REACHED WITH THE TANZANIAN GOVERNMENT. THEY HAD BEEN RAILED FROM THERE TO MWANZA, ON THE SHORES OF LAKE VICTORIA. THERE THEY HAD DISCOVERED THAT NO SHIP WAS AVAILABLE TO TAKE THE ARMS ACROSS TO UGANDA, AND IT WAS DECIDED TO SEND THEM BY ROAD. THIS MEANT GOING WESTWARD ACROSS A FERRY IF THE CONVOY WAS TO STAY IN TANZANIA AND UGANDA. BUT THE OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE LORRIES DISCOVERED THAT THE FERRY WAS OUT OF ORDER- AND HE HAD THEREFORE GONE BACK THROUGH MWANZA AND TAKEN THE ROUTE THROUGH KENYA TO UGANDA.

THE PRIME MINISTER EMPHASISED THAT THE DECISION TO PASS THROUGH KENYA WAS TAKEN AT NO HIGHER LEVEL THAN ON THE OFFICER'S OWN INITIATIVE. THE UGANDA GOVERNMENT KNEW NOTHING OF IT.