Museveni’s ‘Indian Ocean’ Remark Triggers Regional Legal and Diplomatic Debate

A diplomatic storm swept across East Africa after Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni claimed during a campaign stop that Uganda “owns” the Indian Ocean remarks that immediately stirred confusion, online ridicule, and diplomatic unease

The statement sparked widespread reaction in Kenya, where social-media users mocked Uganda’s lack of a coastline

Government officials, however, responded more cautiously, dismissing any talk of conflict while reaffirming Kenya’s long-standing role as a regional transit hub

Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi stressed that the country remains committed to facilitating access to the Port of Mombasa for all landlocked neighbours, including Uganda

But in a diplomatic twist, President William Ruto rose to Museveni’s defence over the weekend. Speaking in Tororo, Uganda, Ruto accused the media of exaggerating the comments and dismissed claims of rising tensions between the two nations

“Uganda and Kenya are brotherly countries,” Ruto said. “Uganda is assured of access to the sea through Kenya”

Museveni, meanwhile, doubled down on his analogy, likening East African countries to tenants sharing an apartment block arguing that no single nation should monopolise regional resources

Yet beneath the political theatre lies a decisive legal question: Can a landlocked nation claim ownership of the ocean?

According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which both Kenya and Uganda have ratified, the answer is no

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Coastal states such as Kenya exercise sovereignty over their territorial waters, and landlocked countries cannot stake ownership claims over any part of the ocean

Nevertheless, Article 125 of UNCLOS guarantees landlocked countries the right of access to and from the sea, along with freedom of transit through neighbouring states an obligation that transit nations like Kenya must uphold

Museveni later clarified that his earlier remarks were intended to highlight regional security concerns and push for deeper East African political integration, not to assert literal territorial ownership.

The episode, while humorous to many online, has underscored the importance of clear communication among regional leaders especially at a time when East Africa is pursuing closer economic and political ties

Writer : Mweru Mbugua