HOMA BAY, Kenya — Former Kenyan Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, has called upon President William Ruto to expedite a permanent resolution to the contentious boundary issues between Kenya and Uganda within Lake Victoria.
Mr Odinga asserts that the absence of a clearly demarcated boundary is the root cause of the recurring conflicts between Ugandan and Kenyan fishing communities operating on the shared lake, which also borders Tanzania.
Drawing from his tenure as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013, Mr Odinga recalled previous attempts to address the escalating tensions, particularly following the dispute over Migingo Island. Despite these efforts, the issue remains unresolved.
“We appointed a team led by the then minister for land no the Governor of Siaya Hon Orengo together with the Minister of East African Affairs and the minister for foreign affairs. They were tasked to carry out negotiations with Ugandan counterparts,” Mr Odinga stated, emphasizing the prior government’s initiative. He further alleged that the negotiations indicated several islands currently under Ugandan jurisdiction rightfully belong to Kenya.
Mr Odinga’s remarks were delivered at the conclusion of the Blue Economy Summit in Kisumu, held at Tom Mboya University in Homa Bay, coinciding with President Ruto’s visit to launch Kenya’s Lake Victoria spatial plan. In addition to Migingo Island, Mr Odinga identified Sigulu, Hama, and Lolwe Islands, all located within Uganda’s Namayingo district, as disputed territories.
“So this is a contentious issue that we need to take up with Uganda. We need to take up this issue with Uganda so that this matter is properly resolved,” Mr Odinga demanded, advocating for immediate diplomatic intervention. He also suggested, “Ugandans have brought marine life in the Lake. We should also have marine in the lake.”
The historically contested Migingo Island, renowned for its abundant fish stocks, remains a focal point of the territorial dispute. President Ruto, in his response, acknowledged the severity of the situation and pledged to address it.
“Both between different groups of fishermen and I know that some of the fights occur because some rogue groups go and fight in some of the identified areas” President Ruto said, recognizing the existing insecurity on Lake Victoria and other water bodies.
“So that conversation is going on; we are scaling it up. Once the ministers finish what they are doing, we are going to scale it up to the level of heads of states,” Ruto affirmed, highlighting his position as the current chairman of the East African Community.
