DEBATE ABOUT THE DISPUTED MIGINGO ISLAND TAKES A NEW TURN AFTER UGANDA REJECTS THE PRELIMINARY SURVEYORS REPORT AND SAYS IT WOULD GOTO THE HAGUE.
News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City
The Ugandan government, which had unilaterally pulled out its team from the joint surveyors of the disputed Migingo island in Lake Victoria has now officially and formally rejected the preliminary survey report.
Kampala is now saying it want to take the matter to the International Jurist Court of Justice at the Hague in a statement released to newsmen. Uganda, apart from taking the matter to the Hague, was also considering the possibility of involving another country to help in resolving the dispute if the two countries fail to agree.
The Uganda deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Eriya Kategaya, said Uganda may not have any option, but to go to the Hague or involve another country to arbitrate to the dispute.
Kategaya was responding to concerns by his country MPs who wanted to know the country’s position after Kenya laid claims to the island.
One MP Betty Amongi is quoted to have said “The Kenyans have declared that {Migingo} is in Kenya. What is Uganda saying? What is the way forward?
President Mwai Kibaki, while addressing a huge crowd of enthusiastic Kenyans at Kendu-Bay in Rachuonyo North district in Nyanza Province at the weekend declared that Migingo was actually in Kenya. He urged local leaders and fishermen to stop wasting time talking about the issue. “It is in our territory”, Kibaki declared. His declaration came only a week after local surveyors said in a preliminary survey report that the island was indeed 510m inside Kenya’s territorial waters. The preliminary report and President Kibaki’s reaffirming his government position over the dispute is said to have elicited a lot of controversies and concerns in UGANDA.
The report was also promptly dismissed by the Ugandan Ministry of Lands spokesman Mr. Denis Obbo, who accused Kenya of reneging on a communiqué signed in May, which stated all surveying work had to be done jointly. Obbo added, “What the Kenyans have done is not what was issued in the communiqué. The survey has to be done jointly. So far as we are concerned, anything that is not jointly done is unacceptable to Uganda.”
Following President Kibaki’s declaration, Kenyan fishermen, petty traders and others operating on the island burst into song and dances. They gathered into the small bars and restaurants located on the island and consumed nearly all he beers available as they were filled with joy and enthusiasm.
The fishermen yesterday called on the government to post security police personnel to the island following President Kibaki’s declaration.
President Kibaki’s thunderous announcement came as the huge crowd at Kendu Bay become increasingly inquisitive about the Migingo Island as he was addressing them on development issues after commissioning the construction of Kendu-Bay – Homa-Bay road. After tarmacking the 25 miles road linking the two towns, the work would continue between Homa-Bay and Mbita Point towns, another 40 miles away.
Earlier, the firebrand MP for Nyatike, Edick Omondi Anyanga had said that Uganda security personnel stationed on Migingo Island should be ejected from the disputed Island following a declaration by President Kibaki that the fishing island was in Kenya territory.
He said the government should take control of the island immediately, “otherwise fishermen may think the President’s remarks were merely political gimmicks.”
He said the move should be taken since fishermen operating on the island-most of whom are his constituents- were tired of harassment, intimidation and extortion by Ugandan security forces. “But we will still accommodate Ugandan fishermen and traders in the true spirit of East African Community so long as they acknowledge that the island is part of Kenya. We do not harbor hard feelings against them{Ugandan fishermen and traders},they are our brothers, “added MP Anyanga.
At the same time, Migingo Beach chairman Mr. Juma Ombori phoned newsmen saying the President’s declaration was most welcome, though it came rather later after Kenyan fisherman had suffered a lot from the harsh treatment being mated out by the occupation forces from Uganda.
Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
– – –
Leo Odera Omolo
Date: Thu, Jul 30, 2009 at 2:00 AM
Subject: UGANDA HAS FORMALLY REJECTED THE PRELIMINARY SURVEYOR’S REPORT ON MIGINGO
Say ain’t So Mr. President! When Migingo saga with near neighbor Uganda started, we were critical for what Musevini was up to in fomenting this crises. The following articles were written to get your attention on this issue and your never took any decisive action action on this issue with Uganda. Here are some of the headlines on the articles that were sent your way. ” Where are you Mr. President..Musevini has conceded the Island, Mr. President say something, They came, they went ..Migingo is still in Uganda hands, Migingo Island is gone..Mr. President what are you going to do about it, Kenya miltary ruled out ..military force on Migingo”
Mr. President after your meeting in Zambia you told Kenya public that” Migingo dispute will be solved peacefully..diplomatically”!. As we speak here today, Uganda has rejected the joint survey team report and now want to move to this dispute to Hague. The aforementioned articles did predict that Musevini was lying to you regardless of what he tolling you in private. May be you could have spoken on this issue earlier , Musevini would have gotten the message that this Island belonged to Kenya as you are now saying
Fool me ones same you ..fool me twice same on me!. How long is Musevini going to fool you with diplomatic and Hague approach to settle this issue?????. Mr. president I know you care about this country but your people living under Uganda occupation in your own country are suffering massive loses in economic income. What is the purpose of the army under your command if they cannot be used to defend and protect the citizens of this country?. The same people who danced for you and lined the road side for you from Kendu Bay to Bondo in your recent trip to Nyanza have relatives/family members who are being deprived from making living in migingo Island. It is time you send your army to evict Uganda out of this Island then go to Hague/UN later !