Patrick Mayoyo
10 July 2009
Nairobi — The survey to establish in which country Migingo Island is located has been thrown into disarray after experts from Uganda suspended their work and returned home for consultations, the Saturday Nation has.
The Ugandan team is said to have suspended their work on Thursday following differences with their Kenyan counterparts over technical issues. Director of Survey in the Ministry of Lands Ephantus Murage distanced himself from the latest developments, insisting that he did not want to comment.
The joint team of experts from both countries was put in place more than a month ago to resolve the ownership of the tiny island in Lake Victoria. The row over the one-acre island has simmered since 2004 when Ugandan forces pitched tent on the isle to allegedly help fight piracy in Lake Victoria, but ended up controlling it. The surveyors were expected to officially establish if Migingo is in Kenya or Uganda by Wednesday next week.
However, a government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to talk to the media, said the team members from Kenya and Uganda had disagreed over the erection of beacons to mark the boundary between the two countries before the survey work is completed and data analysis done.
"The Ugandan team is insisting that we erect beacons in areas meant to locate the perimeter to determine the western-most point when it is normal to conduct a survey without putting up beacons," said the official.
A day-long meeting between the surveyors from the two countries failed to resolve the matter, he said, and the Ugandan team returned home to "consult on the matter".
"The Kenyan team has decided to continue with preparing maps for the other islands not under dispute as they wait a word from their Ugandan counterparts."
It was not clear why the team returned home to consult yet they were accompanied by Ugandan director of Land Management, Mr Justin Bwogi.
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