A Farewell to Arms

He who has need has no shame.

--Kikuyu proverb

Into Nairobi last week flew Uganda's Prime Minister Milton Obote, badly in need. For one thing, he needed to get his hands on the eleven truckloads of Red Chinese weapons that had been intercepted while sneaking through Kenya on their way to him from Tanzania. He also needed to spring their 47-man escort, whom outraged President Jomo Kenyatta had ordered tried for arms smuggling. More important, he needed to patch up the three nations' common market, which the arms scandal had nearly destroyed.

Obote went straight to the Kenya State House, talked to Kenyatta all afternoon and all the next morning. When the press was finally called into the walnut-paneled conference room, Obote was the picture of contrition. Silently, he sat at Kenyatta's side while the old man--wearing a jaunty red rose in his lapel--read a "joint communique."

It was hardly designed to bolster Obote's pride. "The Kenya government repeated its protest over the violations against Kenya's territorial integrity and the fact that all individuals arrested had committed offenses under Kenya law," announced Kenyatta. "The Prime Minister of Uganda reiterated his personal regrets, as well as those of his government, and tendered an apology for this unfortunate incident." For several sol emn minutes he rubbed Obote's nose in the mess, then announced that both arms and men would be handed over-"in view of the sincere apology, assurances and explanations given by the Uganda Prime Minister." As for East Africa's Central Legislative Assembly, which had been suspended during the crisis, it would reconvene on June 14, providing time for tempers to cool before getting back to business.

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