By Leo Odera Omolo
Tension is building up between Kenya and Uganda on the reported arrested of 12 Kenyan Administration Police Officers over the disputed small and rocky fishing island in Lake Victoria for alleged trespass.
The 12 administration officers were sent and deployed to patrol “Migingo”island in Lake Victoria, but were on Wednesday morning picked up by a contingent of soldiers believed to be members of Uganda Peoples Defence Force (UPDF) and held in captive for more than 12 hours by eight hours by UPDF soldiers who have been pitching camp on the island for the past two years.
According to impeccable sources, the Kenyan Policemen had arrived on the island and lowered the Uganda National flag that had been hoisted on the island and replaced it with a Kenyan one.
Local Kenyan fishermen using mobile phones had reported the Uganda had brought more security personnel.
The situation is tense and we do not know what will happen next, said a fisherman Mr. James Okoth.
Migingo island comprises of two rocky islands, the largest is close to the Kenya shoreline ,but it is uninhabited due to its stiffness and slippery rocks.
It is measuring about 3 acres and the second island which is relatively smaller measuring for an acre is of rocky land is densely crowded by close to 400 fishermen and fish traders mainly Kenyans.
The East African map drawn many years ago particularly during the British colonial rule shows clearly that Migingo is located right on the Kenyan side of the border.
The island is part of the newly created Nyatike District but the Government is yet to post the District Commissioner and his tea to administrate the new District. Its administration is still being carried out by Migori DC
Kenyan fishermen have reported that the UPDF soldiers who consider the lowering of the country’s flag as an act of aggression, disarmed the APs before detaining them and calling for reinforcement from the nearby UPDF camps in Bugiri District,eastern Uganda..
The APs were briefly detained at the UPDF camps while the Provincial Administrator headed by Migori DC Julius Mutula contacted his Ugandan counterpart in Bugiri District, Mr.Chikomeko and negotiated for their release.
The twelve administration Officers were deployed to Migingo to protect the local together with the Ugandan counterparts. The decision to take the officers to the island was reached at last November,after a meeting between Migori DC Mr. Mutula and BugiriDC Mr. Chikomoko.
And last month while on a visit to the Nyatike constituency, the Prime Minister Raila Odinga and regional development Minister Fred Gumo made it clear that the island belongs to Kenya.
Mr. Odinga told a home coming party for Nyatike MP Dick Anyanga that it was wrong for Ugandan security to harass and arrest Kenyans going about their business on the island as the two Governments had exhaustively discussed the issue at the diplomatic level.
Ministers from Kenya and their Ugandan counterparts , said Mr. Odinga were currently handling the matter , I don’t really see the reason why the Ugandan security forces should continue to harass Kenyans.
ENDS
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
About the author; Leo Odera Omolo is a veteran Kenyan journalist opperatiung as a freelance writer in the lakeside City of Kisumu, but also in Western Tanzania and Uganda.
He can be reached by telephone Number 0722-486181 and 0734 509215 day and night. Postal address P.O.BOX 833,
KISUMU,
Kenya
– – –
Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2009 06:06:01 -0800 [02/20/2009 08:06:01 AM CST]
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: TENSION HIGH FOLLOWING ARRESTS OF KENYAN POLICEMEN BY UGANDAN MILITARY POLICE OVER THE DISPUTED FISHING ISLAND