By ELISHA OTIENO newsdesk@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Wednesday, August 31 2011 at 22:51
Posted Wednesday, August 31 2011 at 22:51
Reports of harassment of fishermen and extortion by Ugandan security forces in Lake Victoria have abated since the arrival of Kenyan security officers on the disputed Migingo Island earlier this month.
The Kenyan fishermen and traders are now going about their business normally under the watchful eye of armed Rural Border Patrol Unit (RBPU) officers deployed to guard the island jointly with their Ugandan counterparts.
“There is a big change since President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga decided to send these officers here. We are grateful for that wise decision,” said Mr Juma Ombori, the chairman of the Migingo Beach Management Unit.
Buy each other drinks
And the uneasy relationship between the security teams has thawed as they are now acquainted with each other.
“In the evenings, the Kenyan and Ugandan officers meet in the pubs dotting the island and exchange jokes and buy each other drinks. We feel more comfortable and secure even though the boundary row has not yet been resolved,” said Mr Ombori.
Members of the Kenyan security team, who are trained in marine and border security operations, interact well with their countrymen and women who had been pleading for their presence since 2004 when the Ugandans first moved to the island.
The decision to deploy them was part of a resolution of a joint ministerial committee comprising Kenyan and Ugandan ministers.
Kenya was represented on the committee by Internal Security minister George Saitoti and Lands minister James Orengo, among other senior government officials at the meeting held in Nairobi.
The team agreed to complete the stalled survey of the island to establish its boundaries while both countries deployed their security forces to guard the island surrounded by fish-rich waters.
Although Uganda has about 30 uniformed and plainclothes officers on the island working in shifts, the Kenyan team is bigger in terms of size and equipment.
Nyatike MP Edick Anyanga, who has been particularly vocal on the need to deploy Kenyan officers on the island, said he was pleased the government had finally heeded appeals by the fishermen and traders.
He said they had been at the mercy of the Ugandan officials, who often harassed and extorted levies from them.
“What now remains is for the survey team to speedily resolve the row once and for all,” he said.
Report its findings
Mr Anyanga said the dispute was threatening harmony in the East African Community and the “sooner it was solved, the better for the region”.
Prof Saitoti is also optimistic that the ownership dispute will this time be resolved amicably once and for all.
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Am martin.am kindly asking for your attention on this matter that has affected many kenyans like me(treat it as a serius matter as am just a whistle blower)
ReplyDeletetheres this person david ngaruiya.i dont know weather its his real names.he has put posters everywhere in south b claiming to be the owner of rental houses which apparently once you call himhe promises a one bedroomed extension house and promises to send a city council vehicle to come and collect your belongings to the house once you pay the money.NOW WHAT SCARES ME IS THIS.the person is still using his phone numbers 0705682838 and 0722966730 after av effortlesly reported to central police station(WHERE I HAVE VISITED LIKE A MILLION TIMES APPARENTLY NO ONE SEEMS TO SHOW INTEREST) GIVEN OB number 38/26/12/2011......MY WORRY IS THIS NOW....(i)this guy has conned 24 kenyans(check on mashada forum where he claims to be a councellor in githunguri) and still nothin is being done(ii)i have lost 19000/- to him and he is still enjoying safaricoms freedom by receiving calls even after av complained and other kenyans (iii)officers at central dont care about my loss(untill when is this goin to happen)....i admit i was stupid and cannot get my money back but atleast do somethin to protect other kenyans coz this leave me akin myself for how long are we going to legalise extortionists and fradulent non-taxpayers to take little we wake up early to get.some like these are even too courageas not to switch off their phones(nway they are allowed by safaricom to act coz safcom should have atleast blocked the lines if in any case they care.i hope this complint gets to the right hands and well executed by a person who cares for kenyans....i will copy safaricom and media houses this email...am martin and my phone number is 0725375400.thankyou