KISUMU 13TH AUGUST, 2007
 
KENYA AND TANZANIA IN DIPLOMATIC ROW OVER THE ARRESTS OF FISHERMEN IN LAKE VICTORIA

By Leo Odera Omolo

DIPLOMATIC row is brewing between Kenya and the usually quiet neighbor Tanzania over the recent mass arrests of Kenyan fishermen in Lake Victoria.

The 14 Kenyans were on a fishing expedition in areas of Lake Victoria which are close to the border. At the time of writing this report, the Tanzanian authorities were still holding the fishermen with their fishing gears for the alleged trespass offences.

A number of Kenyan journalists from the border Town of Migori who took trouble and traveled 50km from Isebania border to Tarime and visited the local court were able to trace some of the Kenyan fishermen who had been locked in police cells at Tarime, while others were reportedly being held in Musoma.

The arrest of Kenyans is likely to create bad blood between the two countries which are partner states in the much enlarged East African Community (EAC) which has extended its membership to both Rwanda and Burundi.

Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda shares the waters of Lake Victoria with Tanzania having the Lion’s share of 54%, Uganda 40% while Kenya is having just 16% mainly along the narrow Kavirondo Gulf which covers the Eastern shorelines.

There has been uneasiness between the three partner states over disputes arising from undefined boundaries inside the lake, leading to frequent arrests of Kenyan fishermen by the marine police from Tanzania and Uganda patrolling the Lake and also increased number of armed pirates from the sister nations who have been harassing Kenyan fishermen.

In the latest incident, the Tanzanian marine policemen confiscated the fishermen’s gears such as fishing nets including boats fitted with outboard engines worth Kshs. 20 million.

Top Kenyan police officers based in Migori police divisional headquarters which is handling the matter said the Tanzanian security forces are highly secretive about this volatile issue. They normally don’t want to divulge details of the matter, especially as to when the suspects would be arraigned in court.

The Kenyan newsmen were, however, denied access to the police station where their countrymen were being held and were not allowed to take pictures.

The fishermen are from Muhuru Bay in Nyatike constituency in Migori District, and the local leaders have appealed to the government to intervene on the matter at diplomatic level with the view to ensure that the fishermen are released immediately and unconditionally.

The former MP for the area Zablon Owingo Olang who had also served in the former KANU regime as an assistant Minister immediately appealed to the Kenya’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Raphael Tuju to intervene on the issue by contracting his Tanzanian counterpart for the release of the men and all their property.

“We want our government to come to the rescue of our fishermen, who are suffering in police cells in Tanzania,” said Mr. Olang, who is currently the chairman of the board of directors of the Kisumu Based Lake basin Development Authority (LBDA)

According to the treaty of EAC, the three countries, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are supposed to workout on the modality of sharing the natural resources of Lake Victoria. And there is also the need for fresh mapping of the boundaries clearly redefining the areas of territorial waters as part of the harmonization of policy process.

Uganda in its part has seized some small fishing islands which were previously part of Kenya, posted its security personnel, hoisted its flag and sent members of Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) on taxes collection expedition.

Some of the islands include, ‘Migingo’ which is only a few kilometers from Sori town at Karungu bay. Rangiti and Remba as well as Lolwe and Oyamo. The old bay of East Africa clearly showing that these islands were part of Kenyan territorial waters.

The latest arrest of Kenyan fishermen is threatening fishermen to destabilize the fast growing and vibrant EAC.

ENDS

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com