Uganda surrenders Migingo Island
Uganda on Wednesday gave up its claim on Migingo Island and apologised for what it said was an inaccurate decision based on wrong interpretation of a 1962 map.
In compensation, it announced that it would allow Kenyan fishermen access to 400 nautical miles of its territorial waters in Lake Victoria. “Our surveyors were wrong in their interpretation of the 1962 map.
“It is an old map and not as accurate as modern maps,” said presidential spokesman Loofapril Kabalagala. Mr Kabalagala said President Yoweri Museveni had spoken to President Kibaki on the matter.
Kenyan fishermen on Lake Victoria said they were unaware that they were now allowed to fish deep in Ugandan waters.
They said they would wait for official communication from the provincial administration.
In Nairobi, MPs representing fishing communities were ecstatic, saying Uganda had finally lived up to the spirit of regional integration.
They urged the Ugandan Government to withdraw its troops from Migingo immediately.
They also urged Uganda to cede four more islands. By ceding the island to Kenya, Uganda brought to an end one of East Africa’s hottest territorial disputes.
