Survey on Migingo island resumes

Acting minister for Foreign Affairs George Saitoti (right) and Uganda's Foreign Affairs minister Sam Kutesa. The two countries have agreed to resume survey on disputed islands in Lake Victoria. Photo/JENNIFER MUIRURI

Survey on disputed islands on Lake Victoria is set to resume immediately after a joint ministerial meeting Tuesday resolved to end the row.

The survey will be completed in three months’ time and will take into account earlier work of mapping the islands before the Ugandan team abandoned the exercise on July 2009.

A day-long meeting by six Kenyan and eight Ugandan ministers, and other officials, held in Nairobi also agreed that Migingo island shall be administered by police from both countries.

“We have agreed to take this strong and bold step after careful deliberations on how we can solve the matter amicably,” acting Foreign Affair minister George Saitoti said.

Prof Saitoti noted that the joint policing to be conducted before the rightful owners of the island are determined “will put the people together and inspire confidence in integration.”

Uganda’s Foreign Affairs minister Sam Kutesa said his government was committed to ending the ownership row and that they would co-operate fully during the surveying.

“We shall observe benchmarks and timelines that the joint ministerial team has set out, and show that both governments of Kenya and Uganda can do something together.”

Mr Kutesa added: “There should be no excitement about the matter and it will be resolved peacefully and that it should be done in a scientific way.”

He noted that about 70 per cent of the surveying of the most westerly point of Pyramid, Ilemba, Kiringiti, Mageta Island and Sumba had been done.

In carrying out the survey, both teams shall be guided by the 1926 Order in Council, 1963 Kenyan Constitution, 1995 Ugandan Constitution and any other relevant document agreed upon.

In his Madaraka Day speech, President Mwai Kibaki declared that the islands were in Kenya and that the government will use diplomacy to free them from Uganda’s occupation.

The President broke his silence over the ownership of the two tiny islands in Lake Victoria and said: “I wish to reassure all Kenyans that the islands of Migingo and Ugingo lie squarely in Kenyan territory in Lake Victoria. There should be no cause for alarm.”

Uganda claims ownership of Migingo and Ugingo islands and has stationed marine police officers there.

Kenyans living on the islands have often complained of harassment and that they pay taxes to Uganda to be allowed to fish.

Migingo’s wealth lies in its proximity to some of the richest remaining deep-water fishing in Lake Victoria.

“We should always remember that Kenya is the biggest promoter of regional integration. Let us always aspire to live harmoniously with our neighbours.

“A peaceful region holds much promise for our people who have the great potential to do business and get jobs across our borders," the President said in his call for diplomacy to end conflicts with neighbouring states.