afrol News, 5 May - Uganda and Kenya are committed to showing the world that the East African neighbours can not go to war over the border demarcation, but rather talk over the issue for a settlement, officials have said.

The new demarcations are expected to be launched in Kenya next week Monday after experts completed their work on the Ugandan side.

Both countries have seen an unending disputes over the Migingo border island situated on the Lake Victoria. The Island waters, said to be rich in fish, have attracted attention recently with both countries claiming full rights of the land.

However, according to a Ugandan official, the ongoing dispute and any other encouragement for it not to end, would jeopardise the integration of the East African economic bloc.

Ugandan president, Yoweri Museveni, last week ordered that the Ugandan flag hoisted on the Island be downed, while experts do their work to trace the colonial mappings of the borders, folling an agreement with his Kenyan counterpart, president Mwai Kibaki for a joint border survey to be carried out within two months.

Uganda and Kenya, both former British colonies would be relying on maps that would be obtained from the former colonial masters to reach a settlement.

The Migingo island is host to numerous shacks used by fishermen from both sides of the country, with most of the vast Lake Victoria said to be suffering declining catch due to over-fishing over the years.

By staff writer

© afrol News

Related pages and feature

Current afrol News Top Stories