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{
    "id": 42948,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/42948/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 149,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Onyonka",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 128,
        "legal_name": "Richard Momoima Onyonka",
        "slug": "richard-onyonka"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to reply. (a) Yes, we are aware that 35 Ugandan policemen are currently stationed on Migingo Island. However, the Ugandan national flag has been removed as one of the conditions that we had given to the Ugandan Government. Ugingo Island, itself, is not yet occupied by the Ugandan police officers, though we have got 16 structures which exist on that island and they are owned by both Kenyan and Ugandan fishermen. (b) Kenya has actually not failed to reclaim Migingo Island. We have been trying our level best to make sure that all the diplomatic channels are utilized and used to make sure that we achieve that peacefully. The Government of Kenya and Government of Uganda have jointly been discussing this matter and, as a result of that, there are two outstanding issues that have come up from the Kenyan side and another two outstanding issues which have also come out from the Ugandan side. On the Kenyan side, the Ugandan team has been insisting that we must rename all the islands within Migingo Island. The second issue is that the Ugandan team had insisted that we must reconstruct a new boundary and place new pillars where the survey work is going to be done and as a result, the Kenyan Government has actually refused to agree to those two conditions. The Kenyan Director of Surveys has confirmed that the island known as Ugingo, which is next to an island known as the Pyramid Island, cannot be re- identified and renamed because historically, that was done in 1900 to 1901 by the Commander of the White House and Royal Navy when they were doing that, in setting up the structure to set up the Kenya-Uganda Railway. Secondly, the Kenyan Government has actually made a request – as I am speaking to you – where the Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, Prof. Saitoti, has written to his counterpart in Uganda and sought for the surveys to continue so that we can amicably sort out this issue. As a result, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has given priority to this matter, where the Government of Kenya has demanded that the Government of Uganda proceeds, so that we can sort out this dispute amicably, before we take any other further action. As a result of that, the Kenyan Cabinet also has made a recommendation and directive that we set up a Department of International Boundaries to make sure that we register all our boundaries and map them correctly, so that nobody can make a claim to them. (c) Lastly, as I speak here, the matter is seized by the Ministry and all the necessary departments in Government. We are working on it and as soon as possible--- I believe it should not go beyond the end of this year, when we will come up and find an amicable solution because we still maintain that Uganda is our good neighbour and biggest trading partner and we must handle the matter carefully, so that it does not go beyond our control."
}