DEMOS AGAINST MUSEVENI IN MIGORI

SUNDAY NATION
By ELISHA OTIENO in Migori &
ZEPHANIA UBWANI in Arusha
Saturday, May 16 2009

Migori town residents on Satuday held a peaceful demonstration against Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni over his slur on Kenyans and failure to apologise for it.

The placard-waving crowd caused a traffic snarl-up on the busy Migori – Kisii – Isebania highway, demanding quick government action to end the dispute over Migingo island in Lake Victoria.

The protesters, led by the Migori Street Vendors Association secretary Joseph Olala, dismissed a claim by Mr Museveni that he had been “quoted of context” as a futile attempt to undermine the intelligence of Kenyans.

“Everybody heard him on the BBC radio interview. Trying to deny or say that he was quoted out of context is not helping the situation. He must unconditionally apologise to Kenyans and especially the Luo community,” Mr Olala said.

At the same time, Muslim leaders led by the chairman of the Migori Muslim Development Ebrahim Omar Hussein said the dispute should be handled carefully because the two countries depended on each other for trade.

He asked Mr Museveni to be civil and diplomatic when talking about matters affecting the region warning that the Ugandan president risked undermining the envisaged East Africa Federation.

The protesters burnt the effigy of the Ugandan leader in the streets.

Hostile neighbour

They also presented a petition to the Migori DO1 John Tanui, asking President Kibaki to show leadership in the wake of “verbal assault by the hostile neighbour”.

Mr Tanui asked them to wait for the outcome of the joint survey between the two countries.

In Mombasa, nominated MP Sheikh Dor asked President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to act in concert over the Migingo issue.

And in Arusha, the East African Community secretariat expressed concerns over the Migingo dispute.

The secretariat also urged the media to refrain from publishing “alarming” statements on the issue.

EAC secretary-general Juma Mwapachu said in a statement said continued “sensitive media reports” on the issue would only serve to undermine the work of the Joint Technical Survey Team that was commissioned to deal with the matter by the two states.

COMMENTS:

1.

Submitted by Kibutu Kiiru
Posted May 17, 2009 03:42 PM

The Kenya-Uganda railway is more than 1000km long all the way from Shimanzi in Mvita through Changamwe, Kaloleni,Voi, Kibwezi, Embakasi, Kibera and eventually in Kisumu if one can name only a few constituencies the rail transpasses but, it's only uprooted in Kibera in Langata constituency. Lawlessness and irrational behaviours towards a national asset.
2.

Submitted by mykenyan
Posted May 17, 2009 10:15 AM

Let us Not behave like "hyenas"
3.

Submitted by deno_02002
Posted May 17, 2009 03:55 AM

I am just wondering if Ugandans are demonstrating all over like Kenyans! Seems like we can learn a thing or two from Ugandans, let the leaders solve land issues - that is why we elected them in the first place.
4.

Submitted by wawerugithiri
Posted May 16, 2009 10:57 PM

Thats now water under the bridge. These people must be too idle to dwell on that. Can someone crarify if it was in-appropriate for them to be refeRred as "Jaluos". I sincerely dont understand the fury!
5.

Submitted by kariukija
Posted May 16, 2009 10:54 PM

For heaven's sake Kenyans, you owe nothing to a public servant. Don't ask him to do his job, demand it! Asking Kibaki to do his work is merely begging him, he deserves no asking and with his current track record, demanding his resignation is a much better option.
6.

Submitted by Mishuki
Posted May 16, 2009 10:25 PM

Forget Museveni.
7.

Submitted by Jaalle
Posted May 16, 2009 10:22 PM

Museveni is fighting Luo's not Kenyans. Magingo belongs to Luo's not Kenya. Look at the level of foreign interference on Kenyan politics! US, Annan, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, UK and many other countries are dictating to Kenya! Nothing like that happens in Uganda due to the strength, resolve and determination of its leadership.