Kibaki, Museveni deal over Migingo Island

By David Ochami in Arusha and Nick Oluoch

President Kibaki and Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni have struck a deal that would resolve the Migingo Island dispute.

The agreement was reached between the two presidents on Wednesday on the sidelines of the East Africa Community Heads of States Summit that ended in Arusha.

Police Commissioner Hussein Ali and his Ugandan counterpart, Inspector-General of Police Kale Kayihura, will keep in touch "to ensure that law and order is maintained", said the report that is silent on the presence of Uganda’s police and military forces on the island.

A statement released after the 30-minute discussion committed the two leaders and nations to resolve the row "amicably and in the spirit of East African solidarity and partnership".

But Kenyans and Ugandans may wait for two more months to know the results of a joint demarcation that will draw borders.

The report urges the joint commission to "conclude its work expeditiously and in any case not later than 60 days from the date of this communiquÈ".

Recent ban

It further read: "Pending the completion of the joint boundary survey exercise, the Ugandan flag on Migingo shall remain lowered."

The joint boundary team will rely on the British Order of Council of 1926, Kenya’s independence Constitution and Uganda’s 1995 Charter to draw the international frontier.

Although it was not reflected in the statement, sources at the meeting said the two presidents discussed the recent ban of Uganda’s milk imports into Kenya and resolved to resume trade.

But a day after it lowered the flag at Migingo, Uganda has allegedly sent 13 soldiers to the island and tightened security on surrounding beaches.

On Wednesday, fishermen and religious leaders criticised the new turn of events. Nyanza National Council of Churches of Kenya Chairman Joshua Koyo said: "They have replaced the flag with more soldiers. This is unfortunate."

Joined colleagues

Fishermen claimed that 13 soldiers armed with AK-47 rifles, among other weapons, arrived on the island aboard a marine police boat on Wednesday morning to join their colleagues on the island.

Migingo Beach Management Unit Chairman Juma Ombori termed the latest as "playing mind games on Kenyans".

He added: "This shows there is no real plan to solve the dispute. They just lowered the flag to please us."

Mr Ombori called on the Government to send an official to ensure the safety of Kenyans on the island.

He said some of the weapons brought to the island were meant to instil fear among the Kenyan fishermen.

There was hope of a quick resolution to the dispute after the Ugandans lowered their flag on Monday evening. Fishermen and local leaders saw the move as an indication that the Ugandans were planning to withdraw from the island. This was the first time the Ugandan flag was lowered since it was hoisted in 2005.

Former President Moi called for quick resolution of the dispute and said the dispute undermined Kenya’s territorial integrity.