Migingo Dispute Lifeblood To East African Community

The disputed Fish- lucrative island takes Kenya and Uganda to litmus test as EAC is yet to decide on the controversial Issues in the drafted Common Market Protocol

By Billy Mutai
Days have rolled into months as the then thought simple-to-solve
Migingo dispute takes its roots deeper demanding historical data
before the world knows the indigenous owner of the fish-lucrative
island.
Outcome of the 60-day timeline to unlock the impasse where Kenya and
Uganda locked horns over Victoria’s island will be the ultimate litmus
test of the long-built East African Community yet it has not been
consummated.
Hiccups on the drafted region’s Common Market Protocol were yet
postponed to later date this year even as the region’s presidents met
last week in Uganda for the 10th Ordinary Summit.
Three out of the 87 items including land ownership, use of national ID
within EA and permanent residence in any member country are yet to be
agreed on after Tanzania maintained its hard-line position on the
items.
The results from the appointed Joint Survey Team will either nature or
nip the already achieved EAC relationship on its bud.
When Kenyas EAC Minister Dr.Jeffah Kingi insists on implementation of
the three pending issues in the drafted EA Protocol, he could be
meaning well for the member states but when those who call themselves
brothers squabble over a fish, it derails the envisioned EAC and the
situation is even worsened by the Tanzania’s snail pace speed on the
three basic components.
Glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel is perceived and again
dimmed as citizens from both countries take up arms to claim the
lucrative-fish island yet they are blood-brothers. When the River-Lake
Nilotes descended from Sudan, some settled in Kenya while others
preceded to Uganda presently the Acholi people while the Highland
Nilotes including the Sabaot settled around Mt.Elgon as others crossed
the border to Uganda.
We salute both Presidents for resorting into diplomatic option. The
brotherly decision was undoubtedly witnessed when Ugandan government
lowered her flag while Kenyan counterparts helped the Rift Valley
Railways engineers repair section of Kibera’s railways line that had
been uprooted in protest of the alleged presence of Ugandan troops in
the island.
Kibera residents living miles away from Victoria’s island demonstrated
what they termed patriotism to sealing off the land locked country.
They however forgot that bulk of trauma was felt harder in their own
country.
As if not enough, Kenya’s grand coalition government did not stop the
Kenyan way of doing politics. President Museveni who had in contrary
to everyone congratulated President Kibaki’s win of the highly
petitioned 2007 general election wisely maneuvered through the
coalition government’s lines of weakness in bid to declare what they
baptised Mijinjo theirs.
Uganda at the same time went ahead an accused the media of blowing the
issue out of proportion in what the say it is incitement.
The question on binding forces in the EAC again bounces back.
Socio-economic analysts point out that, results from the team set to
survey the boundaries will be the ultimate yardstick of the newly born
baby.
It is worth to note that the world including African Union, European
Union, United Nations among other global bodies are closely watching…
Besides the core EA countries squabbling over Victoria’s island,
Tanzania is yet another country in question as it has been accused by
the other four partner states of derailing integration of the drafted
EA Common Market Protocol.
Despite unanimous support by all other members in the recently
concluded EAC 10th Ordinary Summit in Uganda, Tanzania again took its
earlier stance on issues including land access, right of residence and
use of national IDs as a traveling document noting that they are
insecure.
Tanzania who took the stand in 2002, 2008 and even in the just
concluded summit is asking for more time to consult.
In what the inside sources conclude; the contested issues overrides
Tanzania’s policies and laws, they have however resorted to go slow
even at the expense of member state’s commitment.
With the biggest landmass in the region, Tanzania has shoot down land
access to region’s citizens as well as right to permanent residence.
According to the drafted protocol, one can be allowed permanent
residence after the applicant reside in the new country for more than
five years but Tanzania could not buy the idea and instead asked for
more time to consult.
On land ownership, Tanzania states that land is not part of
community’s shared resource yet in other section of the protocol, all
member states are mutual beneficiaries of region’s resources.
Again, Tanzania puts off the use of national ID as a traveling
document terming it insecure and instead proposed use of EA Passport
which is however out of reach to majority citizens.
The question begs on the time Tanzania opens up and allow the long
awaited socio-economical developments in the region even besides free
movement of persons within region’s borders.
Educational, research and technology, socio-cultural integration are
only the tip of the mutual benefits member countries will reap at its
maturity.
It is now upon the three core EA countries (Tanzania, Kenya and
Uganda) to settle down the biting issues within their boarders to
allow consummation of the envisioned socio-economical outburst in the
East African Community.
billymutai@yahoo.com