Forumists,
1/4 I have scribbled out some comments on Ugingo, also called Migingo. What you will see is, that the Island is clearly inside Kenya territory and Uganda should have nothing to do with claiming it.
2/4 Ugandan authorities should move swiftly to deescalate the hysteria surrounding that island by withdrawing any claims thereto, and ensuring that elements of the Ugandan bureaucracy and armed forces and are withdrawn in an ordely and expeditious manner. Measures should also be taken to ensure that any strains in Uganda’s relations with Kenya are mended; but most importantly, to ensure that ordinary Ugandan fisherfolk that have made that island their base are protected from likely reprisals from those that have been incovinienced by the recent confusion, particularly the Kenyans.
3/4 References to surveying etc are redundant procrastination because that border was surveyed many decades ago and documents showing its alignment are available, not least the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, Schedule 2 which categorically stipulates that, the Western-most point of Pyramid Island, itself located Southwest of Migingo or Ugingo is the border marker. In light of the fact that Pyramid Island is East of the border, and Migingo is East of Pyramid, there is no way Migingo can be in Uganda. We only make fools of ourselves to make such reckless claims when historical documents showing our territorial limits are available, and when facilities like Google Earth are freely available as a reference.
4/4 Please see my attached detailed views on the pseudocrisis, with satellite images that show the position of the border and Migingo. I have also attached for you the US Department of State International Boundary Study No 139 (August 27th 1973) on the Kenya-Uganda boundary..
That Island you are wondering about is Sumba Island which is mentioned in the second schedule of the Uganda constitution as the last island to the north before the border proceeds to the mouth of River Sio on the mainland.. This is what our constitution says about Sumba:
“From this point, the boundary continues following a straight line southwesterly to the most northerly point of Sumba Island; thence by the western and southwestern shores of that island to its most southerly point..”
By ‘this point’ is meant the mouth of River Sio.
Some people say: ‘…now if the dispute were with that one I would lend out an ear!’. I think they would be squandering their ears. As one can see from above, the border follows along the western shores of that island, therefore making all of it belong to Kenya.
The little speck right with in the campus (rt hand corner) is called Namulamia Island. Between Sumba and the Kenyan mainland, the stretch of the lake is called Sumba Channel.
Lance Corporal (Rtd) Otto Patrick
