Kenya-Uganda demarcation commences
May 5th
The Ugandan-Kenyan border demarcation exercise is to be launched May 11th to resolve the ongoing dispute over Migingo Island in Lake Victoria, Dow Jones reported May 5th.
The newswire reported that Ugandan government spokesman Fred Opolot had told reporters in Kampala that a Ugandan technical survey team completed the compilation of all the necessary data, boundary verification exercise, and that the team would “head to Nairobi…where they will meet their Kenyan counterparts and start work on the joint demarcation process.”
Tiny Migingo, less than an acre across, is home to 1000 people, the island is located 5.4 nautical miles (10km) off Kenya’s Sori -Bay in Karungu division, Migori district, appreciably closer to the Kenyan than to the Ugandan coast. The Ugandan government, however, claims that Migingi lies with its eastern district of Bugiri, and the Ugandan press draws parallels with the Bakassi Peninsula, where, it suggests, Nigeria “mistook proximity for ownership.”
While national pride clearly has a part to play in the dispute, so, also does the issue of access to Lake Victoria’s dwindling fish stocks. Kenya only possesses some 6 percent of the lake as compared to Uganda’s 43 percent, and Tanzania’s 51 percent.
The Ugandan Independent newspaper reports that tension between the two countries over Migingo “flared up when Ugandan authorities kicked out about 400 Kenyan fishermen from the island for failure to pay fishing fees. The last stroke was when Uganda’s Fisheries minister, Fred Mukisa, ordered the inhabitants of the island to elect a local council leadership and the Migingo Beach Management Unit which many Kenyan dwellers viewed as acquiescing to Ugandan sovereignty.” Uganda requires that all fish caught within Uganda’s territorial waters be sold to processors in Uganda.
In a statement, the Ugandan government said that it committed to “unequivocally accept the findings of the technical survey team, and adhere to such in keeping with its territorial, regional and International responsibilities." Opolot said in a statement.
Meanwhile on land, elements of the Ugandan military have been accused of destroying boundary pillars along the border with Kenya, the Chinese news agency China View reported, April 21st.
According to China View, the soldiers had destroyed five pillars, with Kenyan residents claiming there existed a plot to encroach on land in the area.
It says the Kacheliba constituency, in which the incident took place, had been administered “from Kampala until 1972 when Kenya stepped in and claimed it back.” It reports that the Ugandan soldiers had “destroyed border beacons and intruded to the area” and confiscated cattle.
China View quotes Local District Commissioner Joseph Motari as having confirmed that “three beacons had reportedly been damaged by the soldiers.” Motari apparently made an official complaint with Ugandan officials. The story reports that Ugandan soldiers had “made life unbearable” in the border region, by harassing villagers and interfering with economic activity.
The story continues, “The Uganda government last year admitted that its soldiers were involved in the destruction of the beacons at the Kenyan's Katikomor area and promised to take action against the officers” and adds that officials from the two countries “later met and resolved to jointly erect new border pillars to reduce tension.”
The Ugandan-Kenyan border demarcation exercise is to be launched May 11th to resolve the ongoing dispute over Migingo Island in Lake Victoria, Dow Jones reported May 5th.
The newswire reported that Ugandan government spokesman Fred Opolot had told reporters in Kampala that a Ugandan technical survey team completed the compilation of all the necessary data, boundary verification exercise, and that the team would “head to Nairobi…where they will meet their Kenyan counterparts and start work on the joint demarcation process.”
Tiny Migingo, less than an acre across, is home to 1000 people, the island is located 5.4 nautical miles (10km) off Kenya’s Sori -Bay in Karungu division, Migori district, appreciably closer to the Kenyan than to the Ugandan coast. The Ugandan government, however, claims that Migingi lies with its eastern district of Bugiri, and the Ugandan press draws parallels with the Bakassi Peninsula, where, it suggests, Nigeria “mistook proximity for ownership.”
While national pride clearly has a part to play in the dispute, so, also does the issue of access to Lake Victoria’s dwindling fish stocks. Kenya only possesses some 6 percent of the lake as compared to Uganda’s 43 percent, and Tanzania’s 51 percent.
The Ugandan Independent newspaper reports that tension between the two countries over Migingo “flared up when Ugandan authorities kicked out about 400 Kenyan fishermen from the island for failure to pay fishing fees. The last stroke was when Uganda’s Fisheries minister, Fred Mukisa, ordered the inhabitants of the island to elect a local council leadership and the Migingo Beach Management Unit which many Kenyan dwellers viewed as acquiescing to Ugandan sovereignty.” Uganda requires that all fish caught within Uganda’s territorial waters be sold to processors in Uganda.
In a statement, the Ugandan government said that it committed to “unequivocally accept the findings of the technical survey team, and adhere to such in keeping with its territorial, regional and International responsibilities." Opolot said in a statement.
Meanwhile on land, elements of the Ugandan military have been accused of destroying boundary pillars along the border with Kenya, the Chinese news agency China View reported, April 21st.
According to China View, the soldiers had destroyed five pillars, with Kenyan residents claiming there existed a plot to encroach on land in the area.
It says the Kacheliba constituency, in which the incident took place, had been administered “from Kampala until 1972 when Kenya stepped in and claimed it back.” It reports that the Ugandan soldiers had “destroyed border beacons and intruded to the area” and confiscated cattle.
China View quotes Local District Commissioner Joseph Motari as having confirmed that “three beacons had reportedly been damaged by the soldiers.” Motari apparently made an official complaint with Ugandan officials. The story reports that Ugandan soldiers had “made life unbearable” in the border region, by harassing villagers and interfering with economic activity.
The story continues, “The Uganda government last year admitted that its soldiers were involved in the destruction of the beacons at the Kenyan's Katikomor area and promised to take action against the officers” and adds that officials from the two countries “later met and resolved to jointly erect new border pillars to reduce tension.”