Ugandan police beat up chief and Kenyan AP officers on Migingo

A picture of disputed Migingo Island located some miles deep in lake Victoria. Despite the island being a gazetted polling station,two clerks working for IEBC were arrested and detained Tuesday by Ugandan police after they were assigned to register votes in the island. According to IEBC officials, Migingo falls under Nyatike Constituency. (PHOTO: DENISH OCHIENG/ STANDARD)

An assistant chief and an administration policeman stationed on the disputed Migingo Island were at the weekend beaten up by Ugandan police and fishermen.

Assistant Chief Esther Masasi was allegedly accosted by 10 fishermen from Uganda who ordered her to accompany them to a police station manned by Ugandan officers.

The Kenyan AP, who was at the beach, tried to intervene but the Ugandan officers turned on him and started battering him together with the administrator.

The administrator said the Ugandan policemen questioned her legality as an administrator of the contested island, which they claimed should now be manned by the Ugandan government.

"They came and found me near the beach where fishermen were offloading their catch and they informed me that I was required at the police station, which is manned by Ugandan officers, saying their police chief, Sergeant Denis Nenis, had summoned me in his office. I told them that that was not the best way to summon me and they pulled me off my seat and started raining blows and kicks on me," she narrated.

Corporal Samwel Ocharo of Kenya, who was nearby, tried to rescue her but the attackers descended on him too, leaving him with serious injuries.

The chief later escaped to Ugingo Island.

A beach official blamed the Kenyan government for taking the security of its people on the island for granted.

"We currently have only four police officers in this place when the Ugandans have about 30," said the official.

As the scuffle ensued, more policemen from the Ugandan side started beating Kenyan fishermen, spreading tension on the island.

The incident on Saturday afternoon happened three days after the same policemen arrested Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials who had gone to register voters on the island.

The officials were later released after alleged manhandling by Ugandan security forces.

However, a Border Patrol Marine team from the Kenyan police led by Sergent Mohamed Ngome, revealed that animosity between Kenya and Uganda government agencies that saw the police officer and area assistant chief assaulted by Ugandan police was as a result of a misunderstanding.

A passenger said trouble started after some Ugandan traders alleged that Kenyan authorities were illegally holding their luggage.