Though Migingo Island is about half the size of a football pitch, it’s a gazetted territory in Nyatike Constituency-Kenya. Migingo is our only Kenyan treasured Island in Lake Victoria and the Cabinet Secretary should not ignore this fact. Kenyans will forever blame its government for laxity in defending its territory!
Nkaissery should not take this Island for granted. His silence on insecurity of our people in Migingo makes it look like fishermen in Uganda are more powerful than Kenya police, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission officers and chiefs! Joseph Kasaine Ole Nkaissery - cabinet Secretary for Internal Security and Coordination of National Government has failed Kenya on Migingo menace!
Last week, a very worrying incident happened in Nyatike Constituency, an assistant chief and an administration policeman stationed on the disputed Migingo Island were beaten up and roughed up like tissue papers by Uganda fishermen in full glare of Uganda Policemen. The incident happened three days after policemen from Uganda arrested Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials who had gone to register voters on the island. This incident spread tension on the island such that Kenyan voters in Migingo never had the opportunity to register as new voters.
Last year, Migori County Deputy Commissioner James Mabeya stationed at Sori was roughed up by the Ugandan police at the island and nothing was said or done by our government! There are currently only four police officers in Migingo Island while the Ugandans have about 30 police officers manning the island! But it looks like fishermen in Uganda are more powerful than Kenya Administration police, IEBC officers and a chief. How can they rough up our own officers and leave them to die without mercy? Ooh no, in our Kenyan soil? No to this! Uganda should appreciate that Migingo Island is in Kenya and should stop this little syndrome mentality.
Uganda government should keep off Migingo Island. Their small man syndrome mentality will blow them off! In July 2009 a survey team commissioned by Kenya-Uganda government found that the island is 510 metres east of the Kenya soil and this brought to an end a protracted 1962-2009 territorial battle! Migingo is in Kenya even the World knows!
We blame the Kenyan government for taking the security of its people on the island for granted.
Dr. Njenga, Solomon, School of Governance, Peace and Security Africa Nazarene University, Kenya
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