MPs decry State failure to protect Kenyans in Migingo

The Government has been accused of failing to protect its citizens from Ugandan law enforcers at Migingo Island.

MPs took Foreign Affairs Assistant Minister Richard Onyonka to task over the Government’s haphazard handling of the saga that has left Kenyans on the island at the mercy of foreign police.

The MPs demanded that the Government dispatches its own police officers to protect Kenyans within the island and save them from persistent harassment by the foreigners.

But Onyonka said Kenya would insist on employing diplomacy than confrontational methods in seeking a lasting solution to the Migingo controversy.

Some MPs claimed that various leaders who have in the recent past been hosted by the Ugandan leader were sabotaging the country’s sovereign policy and interfering with efforts to reclaim the island.

Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara demanded that the minister explains if the leaders who have visited Uganda discussed the Migingo Island.

"As a ministry we have not received any communication to that effect," said Onyonka.

Fresh demarcation

He said joint efforts by the Kenya and Ugandan governments to carry out a survey and fresh demarcation of the island had flopped after the Ugandan representatives pulled out.

According to Onyonka, the Ugandan experts excused themselves to go back and seek further instructions but never returned, forcing the Kenyan team to also suspend the exercise.

He said the two governments have since then agreed that Uganda hosts a next round of talks at a convenient time of which the Government was still waiting for an invitation.

Gwasi MP John Mbadi protested that the Government was acting irresponsibly by not moving in to protect the fishermen.

He said as per the past agreement, the two governments were to withdraw all their forces from the island until a solution to the standoff was reached.

— Reports by Beauttah Omanga and Peter Opiyo