Parliament needs sober thinking on Migingo

Few African nations have complete control of the territory within their internationally recognised borders. Many communities — in Sudan, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Uganda and elsewhere — live beyond the effective authority of central government. This usually leads to informal systems of governance or, where there are competing interests, border-related conflicts.

For Kenya, this has historically meant the northern part of the country. Until Migingo, where the informal administration by officials from Uganda led to crisis.

Hot heads

A Motion brought before Parliament on Wednesday by Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale might have investigated these issues, ways of mitigating them and the resource conflict over the Lake Victoria island that has sparked a diplomatic row and angered the public. It was not to be. Offended by unfortunate remarks by Uganda’s president Yoweri Museveni, MPs responded in kind with a debate of such unredeeming value Government ministers had to resort to a technical sabotage.

Had Parliament a more complete understanding of how most states deal with territorial or resource disputes, and the wisdom to look past Museveni’s inflammatory remarks, it would see that the use of force remains unnecessary and undesirable. Uganda has conceded the island is ours. Plans for administration of the island and joint provision of security once the demarcation is done were agreed diplomatically. Why change tack? Hard words and hot heads will not help.