Uhuru, Magufuli call off Migori tour as details of their visit emerge

President Uhuru Kenyatta (right) with his Tanzania counterpart John Magufuli addresses a joint press conference at State House in Nairobi on Monday 31/10/2016. [Photo:Boniface Okendo/Standard]

 

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s long-awaited visit to Nyanza today has been postponed, as details of his planned itinerary that was to feature his Tanzanian counterpart John Magufuli emerge.

Sources privy to the planned tour told the Saturday Standard that it was called off due to the leaders tight schedules. NASA leader Raila Odinga, who was to join the two presidents is still in India on official visit.

But it has now emerged that the Heads of State were to visit the common Kenya-Tanzania border to re-affirm the colonial boundaries.

Migori Governor Okoth Obado said that the leaders were to assure the border communities that all was well over the boundaries.

“The meeting was called as part of African Union’s resolve to foster a united, integrated East Africa, with peaceful, open and prosperous borders,” Mr Obado explained

Currently, senior Government officials from the two countries are re-demarcating the common border and setting terms of reference (ToRs) for the same.

The objective of the meeting of the presidents was also to agree on the methodology that would culminate in the successful reaffirmation of the international boundaries.

AU presidents resolved in Maputo, Mozambique last year that countries should review the boundary re-affirmation exercise and also come up with ToRs.

According to Kenya Trans Boundary officials, the purpose of the exercise is to ensure the boundary is visibly marked on the ground by erecting new pillars.

Head of international boundary coordinator Julius Rotich, confirmed that they have teamed up with the assistant Director of Surveys from Tanzania Huruma Lugala.

“We are making sure that monuments (boundary pillars) are constructed at the boundary line, marking the limits of the territory between us,” he told Saturday Standard.

Mr Rotich said some people from either side have demolished the pillars and planted maize on the common boundary between Kenya and Tanzania.

The exercise that started in March is expected to end in September. Part of the initiative is also to increase awareness and sensitivity for border issues as well as increase formal partnerships with relevant stakeholders.

They want to develop cross-border cooperation initiatives, both within the framework of the East Africa Community and other regional integration mechanisms.

This exercise is currently being overseen by the Kenya International Boundaries Office (KIBO) under the Executive Office of the President.

The Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning and the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development of Tanzania are also involved.

So far, the teams have successfully traced and re-affirmed the boundary pillars on the Migori-Tanzania border erected by the colonies. Now they have moved to Mara region.

The Kenya and Tanzania boundary has been divided into seven sectors and will be reaffirmed in four phases.