RAILA ODINGA’S TRIP TO UGANDA S PUT OFF AS CONFUSION OVER THE DISPUTED MIGINGO ISLAND DEEPENED
Reports By Leo Odera Omolo
In the wake of the on going diplomatic stand-off between Nairobi and Kampala over the small fishing Island in Lake Victoria taking a new twist, the government of president Yoweri Museveni has abruptly called off the much highlighted visit to Uganda by Kenya’s Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga.
The two governments have been in conflict over the Island since last year but the stand off has taken another dimension within the last two weeks after Uganda deployed more security forces on the disputed island after Kenyan administration policemen had tried in vain to regain its control.
It was reported that in Ugandan press that Mr. Odinga had been rescheduled for March 13 – 15 in order to first resolve the Migingo issue.
The Kenya Premier was due in Kampala last Friday at the invitation of his Ugandan counterpart Professor Apollo Nsibambi. Observers and political pundits both in Kenya and Uganda alike says, that even with the visit postponed a section of Ugandan government officials believes that the “quiet diplomacy to placate” the tensions might not succeed.
The postponement of Mr. Odinga’s visit were announced at the weekend by the Permanent Secretary in the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs James Mugime.
At the same time the Uganda Minister of state for Fisheries Fred Mukisa was quoted by the EASTAFRICAN weekly as saying that Nairobi bravado in the matter underline its real interest in the Migingo Island to take control of the fisheries resource and revenue around the area.
Local fishermen told this writer during a brief visit to the disputed Island over the weekend that Ugandan Revenue Authority(URA) is minting very colossal amount cash money in excess of between Kshs.350,000 and Kshs 300,000 daily in taxation and other revenue paid to its coffers mainly by Kenyan Fishermen and fish traders.
The fishermen also spoke of extortion and extra judicial punishment which include torture, beatings rape and arbitrary arrests extortion and forced bribery.
The paper quoted Mukisa as saying this is not about land or security. It is typically fisheries and revenue matters, which are stake because Kenyans want to gain easy access to Uganda’s water resources.
The Minister also scoffed at Mr. Odinga’s recent comments on Migingo as absurd following the Kenyan Prime Minister presentation in parliament a week ago on the situation on the ground.
The genesis of the conflict dates back to the year 2006 when Minister Mukisa directed that the local council administration structures be put up in Migingo Island.
The Minister also established a Beach Management Unit(BMU) on the Island. Some Kenyans were also incorporated in the daily running and management of the BMU’s deviation from the country legal requirements.
Previously a no man’s land of sorts, Migingo Island was occupied by maritime section of the Uganda’s Internal Security Organization(ISO). This unit is equivalent to Kenya’s National Security Intelligence Services{NSIS} or the defunct special branch of Kenya police for about three years but had no administration structures in place.
According to Kenya Fishermen, ISOS maritime outfit issued licenses gazette those who fished there an collected taxes. The proceeds from all xxx apparently were into the packets of maritime supreme’s on the Island and a few other individuals.
But into the establishment of the local council, this meant but proper taxes were levied and collected by the new structures a development that did go down well with Kenyan fishermen and a few Ugandans.
The regional understanding under the Lake Victoria fisheries Organizations is that foreigners showed pay more taxes that what the local pays in the respect Kenyan fisheries and not Ugandan citizen one treated as foreigners and not Ugandan citizen.
Whenever Ugandan’s fishing boat is licensed for Unu30,000(USD 15.2) Kenyan fisheries with USD 60. This sent Kenyan fishermen up in arms, calling their government to protect them. From foreign Investors and exploiters as they considers Migingo as part of Kenya.
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leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
AUSTRALIA’S RIO TINTO MINING FIRM TO EXPLORE FOR COAL IN SOUTHERN TANZANIA
Business report by Leo odera omolo
Australian mining firm Rio Tinto mining and exploration ltd has entered into an agreement with uranium resources PIC to explore for coal in southern Tanzania.
The company will earn 51 percent interact by sole funding the USD 7 million in exploration within four years of signing the form –in-agreement and a right to earn a pre-feasibility study at Mtonya and Ruhuhu mines located in Ruvuma region.
The managing of uranium resource Dr Alex Gosteriskikh said that by signing the agreement with Rio Tinto to explore the coal potential of the firms license areas further undermine the values of the company’s exploration assets .
Gosteriskikh said that signing uranium resources has not only established a relationship with a major partner but will also exposure to the upside potential of any economic coal deposits discovered in the region while not committing to the associated high capital expenditure
“Importantly the deal compliments the uranium exploration being conducted by western metals, which continues to yield high grade f uranium intercepts and consolidate our commitment to the energy resource sector, which we believe still maintaining strong fundamental s for the future,” he said.
The option agreement which see Rio Tinto acquire the right to exclusively explore for coal in the Mtonya and Ruhuhu farm-in, which make up 2,938 square kilometers of Uranium Resource exploration license areas.
According to the terms of the agreement, Rio Tionto will have sole rights to explore the uranium resource for coal for 12months from this month (February 2009).
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leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
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Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 02:54:30 -0800 [04:54:30 AM CST]
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: RAILA ODINGA’S TRIP TO UGANDA S PUT OFF AS CONFUSION OVER THE DISPUTED MIGINGO ISLAND DEEPENED
There must be some natural resources find around Lake Victoria.
Whenever you see tension like the one in MIGINGO Island, you must understand that something is cooking. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the darling of multinational corporations, is the man who rarely blinks when it comes to committing Ugandan armed young men to bleed to defend foreign interest. Yoweri and Paul Kagame of Rwanda are now the ALPHA males in Eastern African portion of Sub-Saharan Africa. They are the proxy warriors who are not afraid to deliver access to the natural resources to multinational corporations in the region.
The cancellation of Raila’s trip to Uganda indicates the Prime Minister has no influence in Kenya’s affairs. President Kibaki has all the powers and he is close to Yoweri Museveni.
Governments of national Unity are ploys being used by neo-colonialists to buy time while they are grooming some strongman to give them unfettered access to the natural resources in their territory. This was the case in Rwanda before the Rwanda’s genocide. The result of that horrible genocide produced the strongman Paul Kagame. There had been failed coalition governments in Zaire (democratic Republic of Congo) before the assassination Laurent Desire Kabila; Sudan where there is a warrant for President Bashir’s arrest to International Criminal Court; Zimbabwe and Liberia before Charles Taylor was dragged kicking and screaming to ICC court at The Hague. Many African strongmen seem to be heading to The Hague after exhausting their usefulness in serving the foreign corporations interest!
If Raila cannot protect the Luos living around Lake Victoria, who will?
Finally i have found the like minded who speaks the truth as it is supposed
to be.RAILA IS A STOOGE WHO HAS NO REAL POWER,the best thing he can do is to organize a demo against a so called goverment in which he is suposed to lead.
What if migigo was in the famous central province?do you think kibaki could be busy parading for us my dear wife lucy in the press?
Where are the likes of KAJUANG the selfstyled noice
makers?I dare challenge those who think and believe in raila to come out and convince me about the railaism.
@akech and adhyambo. Mad people. Which museveni opponent has ever visited uganda and came out alive? Be real. Moreover, uganda is not and will never be a military/economic threat to Kenya in the near future.