Kenya, Uganda strike deal over Migingo island

By Standard Reporter

Kenya and Uganda have agreed to jointly police Migingo Island whose disputed ownership has threatened relations between the two countries.

Commissioner of Police Mathew Iteere and Uganda’s Inspector General of Police Major-General Kale Kayihura told a joint press conference in Kampala that each country would deploy 12 police officers on the island.

The joint security operations will mark the end of the seven-year domination of the Island by Ugandan police. The Kenyan flag will also be hoisted on the island following the agreement.

Part of the disagreements between Kenyans and Ugandans living on the island resulted from extradition of the former from the island to Uganda for prosecution.

The two agreed that criminal suspects will now be tried in their respective countries.

"We agreed on several issues apart from the joint operations. The residents will benefit from the agreement," Iteere said.

Observers said the joint police operations indicate the continued failure to conclusively resolve the dispute but Kayihura said the boundary verification exercise would soon resume.

Unease

The island has been under Ugandan police control since 2005, but the new agreement signed by the two police chiefs on Tuesday provides for joint crime prevention and patrols.

Both Kenya and Uganda claim ownership of the small island in Lake Victoria, said to be a rich ground for fishing, a fact which observers suggest may be behind the loud political agitation over the matter in Nairobi and Kampala.

A joint team of surveyors that was appointed by both countries in 2009 disagreed on the survey methodology and abandoned the exercise.

Kenya had deployed 40 security personnel on the island in a move that caused unease from their Ugandan counterparts. Uganda has about 30 uniformed and plain-clothes officers.

The officers, trained in marine and border security operations will jointly man the island with the Ugandans.