Aid for Arms in Ethiopia

BBC News

4th march 2010

It was a charity appeal on a global scale. In 1985, an unprecedented array of performers took part in two marathon, televised concerts in Britain and the United States - all to raise money for a terrible famine in Ethiopia. And it worked. It's thought the concerts eventually generated about two hundred and fifty million dollars in donations from the public. But now, evidence has emerged that the aid agencies charged with distributing that money, were hoodwinked: that millions of dollars were diverted to buy weapons for rebels in Ethiopia - and that the United States knew this was going on. The BBC's Africa editor, Martin Plaut, investigates for Assignment.

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Ethiopian troops inside Kenya. says MP

An MP stirred the House with claims that Ethiopian troops were roaming in his constituency harassing his people; says Kenya MP.

Wajir North MP Hussein Gabo demanded to know whether the Government had surrendered the country’s sovereignty to the neighbouring nation.

"Mr Speaker, I demand to be told why Ethiopian troops are roaming in my constituency harassing innocent wananchi and pretending to be looking for OLM (Oromo Liberation Movement) fighters," he said.

The members took Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetang’ula to task by members when he stood to respond.

Mr Wetang’ula said there was an incident a fortnight ago whereby the Merille from Ethiopian pursued some alleged Kenyan cattle rustlers, which resulted in exchange of fire with Kenyan security officers at Todinyang.

Protest note

The minister said the issue had been dealt with and he had since sent a protest note over the incursions to the Ethiopian government.

On Wajir North, the minister said he had taken called his counterpart in Ethiopia and also written to him in protest.

"I have even organised a meeting between the government officials on both sides and when that takes place I will invite the member to attend," he added, adding the Defence ministry had been told to send troops there.