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{
    "id": 567977,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/567977/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 38,
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    "content": "There exists no dispute between the Republic of Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The boundary was ratified by the 1970 Treaty which was signed by the Heads of States of the two countries. They signed the treaty and several components, including the provision of joint and separate inspection of the entire international boundary, after every five years. Unfortunately, the inspection has not been carried out as agreed, largely due to logistical and other bureaucratic challenges. The delayed inspections have, therefore, negatively impacted on the boundary in the sense that most of the boundary pillars have been destroyed or worn out by weather conditions or acts of vandalism, thereby bringing unnecessary tension among borderline communities, who often times complete for the scarce trans-boundary resources. The Ministry initiated a joint Kenya-Ethiopia boundary meeting in May 2014 where the two countries have to jointly inspect and re-establish boundary pillars from eastern point in Lake Turkana to Illeret, an exercise which was recently carried out. This was a follow up to a similar joint exercise which was carried out along the Kenya-Ethiopia boundary on Lake Turkana in 2010. I wish to assure the House that the joint inspection of the remaining sections estimated to take approximately five years will continue as agreed upon by the Joint Kenya-Ethiopia Technical Committee. Mr. Speaker, Sir, there exist no dispute on the land boundary between Kenyan and Somalia. However, the beacons which were established by the colonial governments have been dilapidated by weather conditions and acts of vandalism and, therefore, require immediate re-establishment. Unfortunately, the Transitional Government of the Republic of Somalia has instituted a legal dispute in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in New York over what it has termed as Kenya’s intrusion into the Republic of Somalia’s Maritime Territory. On the other hand, Kenya has declared and produced an official map depicting a parallel line across the Indian Ocean from the point where the last survey beacon touches the water in the Indian Ocean on the Kenya-Somalia International Boundary and has continued to exercise its sovereignty over this area while Somalia has, on its part, insisted on a straight line running perpendicularly southwards. A position if ratified by the ICJ will mean that Kenya becomes a sea locked country thereby jeopardizing our country’s sovereignty, security and economic benefit. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Government has constituted a team of lawyers to defend Kenya’s position in the ICJ headed by the Attorney General. There is notable disagreement along the Kenya-Uganda boundary along Lake Victoria over a one acre rock outcrop, Migingo Island, which is, however, overpopulated due to the lucrative fish business in the surrounding area. Since 2009, when the dispute arose, the two governments have made several attempts to resolve the dispute through diplomatic channels. To this end, the Joint Technical Survey Team held a joint meeting in March 2014 at Entebbe, Uganda, where the Joint Survey Report of the survey work done on Lake Victoria was finalised, signed and submitted to the two governments. The team also prepared a work plan and budget The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}