MP urges action over another island seized by Uganda
Fishermen at work near Migingo island on Lake Victoria. Kenya and Uganda have had ownership wrangles over the island. Photo/FILE
The Government has been urged to swiftly intervene in reports that Uganda has seized yet another Kenyan island in the Lake Victoria.
Ugingo Island is now the centre of attention and reports have indicated that Ugandan forces deployed to guard the disputed Migingo Island have now moved to Ugingo Island, barely 50 metres away.
And on Monday, Gwassi MP Mr John Mbadi in whose constituency the Island is reacted angrily to the Government’s silence over the matter, urging Kenya’s security forces to swing into action and save the Island from the fate that befell its sister-Migingo.
The MP questioned the Government’s commitment to secure Kenya’s territorial borders in the wake of the fresh happenings.
Accompanied by his parliamentary colleague- Rarieda’s Nicholas Gumbo, Mr Mbadi said President Kibaki and his leadership should find a way of dealing with what they described as President Yoweri Museveni’s ‘expansionist policy.’
“This should not be tolerated, it is unacceptable and we need our Kenyan leadership to respond,” Mr Gumbo said.
Mr Mbadi lashed at the Government’s continuous promises to reclaim Migingo, yet leaving another Island to face the same fate in the hands of Ugandan authorities.
A team of experts was set up to establish the borders of Migingo Island.
“Has our President surrendered Kenya to Uganda? We just don’t know how many more we are going to lose to Uganda, maybe President Museveni will even seize more areas even up to Nakuru,” the MP stated.
He said the Government has not achieved much on the promises on the Migingo Island dispute which remains unresolved, despite numerous assurances from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and efforts by Parliament to push for Kenya to secure it.
“Instead President Museveni has added even more security forces and extended to another island,” the area MP said.
He said locals were now worried and questioning whether they were Kenyans or Ugandans.
“Do our authorities know something we Kenyans don’t know,” the member said.
Reports indicate that Ugandan forces are putting up makeshift structures and there are fears that the Migingo experience between the two countries may be repeated.
The island is said to be within Kenyan territory. It has remained desolate because of its steepness.
