The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kisumu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kenya’s former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga has asked President William Ruto to find a lasting solution to the boundary crisis between Kenya and Uganda in Lake Victoria.
Odinga says the lack of a known boundary between the two countries is the cause of the persistent clashes between Ugandan and Kenyan fisherfolk on the lake that is also shared with Tanzania.
Raila, who served as prime minister of Kenya from 2008-2013 said they had attempted to address this matter while he was in office following the fight over Mijingo Island, but it persists.
“We appointed a team led by the then minister for land no the Governor of Siaya Hon Orengo together with the Minister of East African Affairs and the minister for foreign affairs. They were tasked to carry out negotiations with Ugandan counterparts,” he reported.
Odinga, who recently lost the bid for the African Union chairperson said the negotiations claimed that many of the island now know to belong to Uganda technically belong to Kenya.
Odinga made the remarks on Thursday in Kisumu at the closing of the Blue Economy Summit at Tom Mboya University in Homa Bay. President William Ruto was in Kisumu to launch Kenya’s Lake Victoria spatial plan.
Apart from the known Mijingo Island, Odinga claimed Sigulu Island among the five island now with in Uganda’s boundary in the lake.
Sigulu Island is located in Namayingo district the northeastern part of Lake Victoria. Most inhabitants are fisher folks.
It is estimated to hold a population of about twenty thousand people. Raila also said island Hama in Namayingo district’s Sigulu sub county belongs to Kenya. He has also claimed that Lolwe Island belongs to Kenya. Lolwe Island is located on Lake Victoria in Lolwe Sub County in Namayingo district.
According to Namayingo district, Lolwe Island has about 10,000 inhabitants whose main economic activities are fishing and Farming.
“So this is a contentious issue that we need to take up with Uganda. We need to take up this issue with Uganda so that this matter is properly resolved,” Raila demanded.
“Ugandans have brought marine life in the Lake. We should also have marine in the lake,” he suggested.
In the past, Uganda and Kenya claimed Migingo Island. The Island surrounded by deep waters is rich with fish. It is heavily contested by Kenya and Uganda that both claim ownership. President William Ruto in response to Raila Odinga said that the matter will be addressed.
Earlier, President Ruto acknowledged that there is a lot of insecurity on Lake Victoria and other water bodies. “Both between different groups of fishermen and I know that some of the fights occur because some rogue groups go and fight in some of the identified areas” he said.
“So that conversation is going on; we are scaling it up. Once the ministers finish what they are doing, we are going to scale it up to the level of heads of states,” said Ruto as his reminded the audience that he is the current chairman of the East Africa Community.
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