Migingo island this land is our land

The Mgingo island issue puzzles me the more I read about it. Geography was not one of my best subjects, however I wonder why the Ugandan government feel that they can now claim that Migingo island belongs to them.

The Ugandan Minister of State and Foreign affairs claims that the island was submerged until 2004, and had been submerged for four decades.

Is he serious?

I agree with Raila Odinga, that it is embarassing for Ugandan troops to occupy our territory, while we watch. ODM also urged to have Ugandan troops removed from the island.

As a Head of State, Kibaki should take control and protect Kenyans from the invasion by having the Ugandan soldiers out of Migingo immediately," said Prof Anyang Nyong’o the party’s secretary-general

A number of thoughts go through my mind, when I read about Migingo:

1. What does it feel like for President Kibaki to have Kenyan land occupied, and maybe occupied for good, in broad daylight?



2. If the island was not submerged for four decades, and there are Kenyans who were born and bred there, how do they make sense of their land suddenly being part of Uganda, if the Ugandans do not leave.



3. I can remember reading an article about a couple in the UK who had some builders in, to do some work on their house while they were away. When they returned the builders refused to leave. What is astounding, is that the couple are still fighting for their property, and the issue is still in court. The house does not belong to the builders, but the builders seem to have some squatting rights. WTF.
   

Marvin Tumbo has an interesting post on land grabbing in Kenya, and how land grabbers come and stay because they are well connected.

I guess I am so accustomed to land grabbing taking place within Kenya, by Kenyans. It continues to sadden me that there are still Kenyans living in camps, homeless as a result of Post election violence.Yet, there are some Kenyans who continue to own vast amounts of land, which they grabbed.

What the Ugandans are attempting to do, is no better than the Kenyans within Kenya who have grabbed land, in my view. However I feel more uncomfortable with foreigners coming in, and occupying our territory.

I assumed that Museveni and Kibaki were friends,as Museveni was pretty upfront about his support of Kibaki during the disputed elections in 2007.

The words taste, and medicine, come to my mind when I think about Migingo, and Mwai Kibaki.

I hope the matter is resolved, as our list of problems in Kenya is endless.

Related article: Since bullets won't move Museveni to let Migingo go, deny him oxygen.

Update Related article: How Uganda seized Migingo

Update two Related articles : You do not reason with a military brat like Museveni, you draw your gun.

Kenya Diaspora in outrage against Yoweri Museveni