State Sovereignty Vis-A-Vis International Relationship A Case of Uganda Kenya Relationship

ABSTRACT

This study analyzed state sovereignty vis-a-vis the international relationship between Uganda and Kenya towards Uganda, 1963-20 I 4, with a specific focus on commercial and economic foreign policies. It contends that until2014 Uganda remained Kenya's leading trade partner, thereby necessitating an analysis of Kenya's foreign policy tools and instruments towards Uganda. Kenya's foreign policy generally aims at protecting Kenyan territorial integrity/ security and maximizing wealth creation. Kenya has stayed up until late 2014 without a concrete foreign policy document in place; however, there was over-reliance on the executive through experts in the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The study was guided by the realism theory of foreign policy. The goal of the gain knowledge of was to find out the contextual understanding of Kenya's foreign policy; assess the role and effectiveness of Kenyan foreign policy towards Uganda; ascertain the influence of Kenya's commercial and economic policies towards Uganda; to investigate the challenges faced by the administration of Kenya's foreign policy towards Uganda. This study used an explanatory research design. It assessed the causal relationships between foreign policy in Kenya towards Uganda and the achievement of Kenyan foreign policy goals. The study drew heavily from secondary sources such as executive orders, foreign and Diaspora policies, defence policies, Sessional papers, economic policies, and the Constitution of Kenya. The findings of the study were analysed qualitatively by establishing interrelationships between variables and reported in narrative form. The study findings will contribute to knowledge towards understanding Kenyan relationship with Uganda, add knowledge to regional studies, contribute to policy debates towards v harmonious co-existence in the region, and enhance economic and political cooperation with Uganda. The study found out that Kenya's commercial and economic foreign policy towards Uganda was meant to enhance the flow of capital into Kenya and the East Africa Community; promote the exportation of Kenyan products and encourage investments in enterprises in Kenya and East Africa; portray the good investment environment available in the country, conferencing and tourism; expand opportunities to tap markets locally and identifY new markets for goods being exported by Kenya; develop better technologies by exploring the existing technologies; identifying new sources of energy than can be used in industrial production; empower economic organizations and other groups to enhance the growth of both international and local markets, and spearhead fair trade and the establishment of agreements that are beneficial to both pa1ties. In addition, the study found out that there are some challenges such as trade imbalance that hampered Kenya's foreign policy towards Uganda. This study concluded that there is need for optimization of Kenya's foreign regulations towards Uganda in order to maximize the nation's goals and interests. The study further recommended need to a1ticulate Kenya's foreign policy properly and sensitize the citizens to work in line with it.