Island with 36 voters: Police deployed to Migingo Island as voters cast their ballot

Migingo Island

• Migingo island, disputed between Kenyan and Uganda, has 36 voters
• Most of the islanders registered to vote in Muhuru Bay on the mainland and left for their polling stations
• The island is among 528 polling centres in Migori County

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has sent five officials and police officers to oversee voting on the disputed Migingo Island.

The officers left yesterday and were expected to spend the night on the island, which is also claimed by the Ugandan government, ahead of today's voting.

This ends any fears that Ugandan police would disrupt voting on the island.

A deputy presiding officer and four clerks together with a contingent of police officers left Muhuru Bay mainland for the island yesterday to enable 36 registered voters to vote.

Nyatike IEBC Returning Officer Wesley Ruto said they had adequate security measures in place for the officers to sleep on the island, which is said not to be among 528 polling centres in Migori County affected by network failure.

"We are ready and sampling ballot papers with observers, aspirants and agents in Nyatike. Migingo will be among the polling centres on Tuesday. We are prepared," said Mr Ruto.

Speaking to The Standard by phone yesterday, Migingo Island Beach Management Unit chairman John Obunge said the islanders had been waiting for the officers.

"During the last elections, we voted on the mainland. This gesture is a positive one towards ending the (island) ownership stalemate," Mr Obunge said.

He said the low number of voters registered on the island was due to the dispute and nomadic lifestyle of the fishermen.

"Most of islanders registered to vote in Muhuru Bay on the mainland and left for their (polling) stations as we have closed the beach," he said.