Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Sori/Karungu Bay
FRESH troubles have erupted on the volatile and disputed Migingo fishing island in Lake Victoria a Uganda marine police arrests and detains Kenyan fishermen.
The issue of the disputed rocky island has been the source of discontent and diplomatic thaw between the two partners states of the East African Community for close to eight years ever since the Ugandan authorities invaded the island and posed its revenue officers now collecting taxes from Kenyan fishermen in their own c0ountry. The Island according to 100 yer old colonial maps dawn in 1912 is virtually on the Kenyan side of the border.
Ugandan authorities are demanding that an assistant Chief posted to administer the island on behalf of the Kenya government be withdrawn immediately until such a time when the ownership issues are resolved.
Kenya has kept a contingent of Administration Policemen numbering about 30 on the tiny island. But they Kenyan policemen just sat down as the Ugandan authorities rounded the fishermen over the weekend and warned them not to fish on Ugandan territorial water.
Fishermen have told this reporter over the phone that on Monday morning three Kenyan fishermen were arrested by the Ugandan security personnel who accused them of trespassing into Ugandan waters.
The Ugandan authorities accused Kenyan fishermen for deliberately defying the orders and directive.
Three Kenyan fishermen were picked up by the officers on the disputed tiny fishing island as they returned from fishing expedition. Their boats and their engines intact and the catches were also confiscated.
The arrest of Kenya came barely three days after the Ugandan officers warned Kenyans against stepping into the Ugandan waters unless the Kenyan Assistant Chief recently deployed as an administrator on Migingo Island is removed.
The arrested Kenyans were then whisked away to the nearby Lolwe Island which is situated on the Ugandan side o the disputed waters of lake Victoria and b the time of filing this report, their fate remained unknown.
Armed Kenyan administration policemen on the island could only watch in disbelief as the sh90cked fishermen were bundled into a new speedboat brought in from Jinja town in Eastern Uganda.
Last Saturday, according to the chairman of Migingo Beach Management Unit Juma Omnboori, the Ugandan authorities rounded up all the Kenya fishermen operating on the island and told hem that from now onward they will not be allowed to fish on Ugandan waters.
A to Uganda policeman Agustino Choti told the Kenyan fishermen that a decision to ban Kenyans from he Ugandan water had been taken following of Kenya government having taken unilateral decision of posting an Assistant chef to Migingo while the negotiation to have the island ownership resolved was still in progress. As for now the waters around the island belonged no one, but Kenya should have been patient and wait for the matter to be resolved amicably by the two countries.
Consequently Uganda has sent more marine police and new patrol boats to the island, perhaps to ensure its order was completely enforced. Kenyan fishermen and fish traders operating on Migingop Island have since sent out an gent appeal to the government of Kenya to responds urgently and rescue them from further embarrassment.
“We are also surprised that our policemen who are supposed to protect us on this Island just sat down and watched as Kenyan businessmen and fishermen were being arrested and harassed”, said Juma Ombori.
The Saturday incident too pace while the area MP Edick Omondi Anyanga was a tor of his lakeside constituency, and he immediately appealed to the government of Kenya to expedite talks aimed at resolving the problems of Migingp Island. The legislator also appealed to the Ugandan policemen to treat Kenyans with a lot of respect and not to antagonize them.
Ends