East African Standard (Nairobi)
June 7, 2001

By Mohammed Duba and Biketi Kikechi

Seven armed Ethiopian military officers who defected to Kenya have been identified by Kenyan Military and Police intelligence services.

The services also gave the make of the weapons recovered from the military officers who are seeking political asylum from the Kenya Government.

The intelligence sources said the soldiers are non-commissioned officers with the highest ranking being a corporal.

Their identities were given as Corporals Godana Chrisko (Hadaya tribe), Corporal Dabada Bonaya (Hadaya), Private Gamachiz Maua (Oromo), Sisay Waldayo (Wataita), Private Molaku Bimivo (Amhara), Private Maii Brauno (Amhara) and Private Sitayo Sefu (Amhara).

Earlier reports had indicated that the seven had crossed on foot to the border town of Moyale and surrendered to a Kenyan military camp.

However, it emerged yesterday that the seven were intercepted by a joint team of regular and Administration Police officers after a tip-off from a member of the public.

Police recovered from them six AK-47 assault rifles, 237 rounds of 7.62 mm special ammo, 35 hand grenades, two China-made bombs, two field dressing kits and four military bayonets.

The whereabouts of 11 other soldiers reported to have been sighted in the same area could not be ascertained.

Efforts to get a comment from the Ethiopian Embassy in Nairobi were futile as Ambassador Teshome Toga was said to be out of the country on official duties.

And the area MP who is an Assistant Minister for Health, Dr Gurach Galgalo, yesterday expressed concern over the security of Kenyans residing in Moyale.

Meanwhile, the Ethiopian and Kenyan governments yesterday began diplomatic talks over the runaway soldiers.

The PS in the Office of the President, Mr Zakayo Cheruiyot, said high-level contacts between Addis Ababa and Nairobi were held yesterday morning.

By yesterday evening, reports indicated that the Ethiopian deserters had been moved from Moyale to Garissa Police Station.

Speaking at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport after seeing off President Moi, Cheruiyot said the soldiers who crossed into Kenya were immediately flown to Nairobi.

“They are being interrogated by the Military Intelligence so that we can get the intention of their defection before the next course of action can be drawn,” said Cheruiyot.

A source at the Ethiopian Embassy in Nairobi confirmed that the head of his country’s security forces, Mr Kefe Gabremedir, was killed by an army major.

There has been growing unrest in the expansive Horn of Africa country, with hundreds of opposition supporters being arrested in recent months.

Thousands of Ethiopians and Eritreans died in a bloody war between the two countries, which has since ceased.

Kenya’s Major General Christopher arap Kuto is leading a United Nations peace mission set up to monitor the buffer zone.