The fact that deep waters around Migingo are rich in Nile Perch is not in doubt.
Fish processors in Kisumu and Nairobi have planted their buying agents on the island who deliver fish to the waiting trucks on the mainland beaches.
“Most of the waters near Kenyan beaches are breeding grounds of Nile Perch species,” a fisheries official – who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the Migingo row – said.
Daily fishing landings on Migingo are estimated to be worth about Sh1 million, being brought in by over 200 boats operating in the waters around the island.
Boat owners in Migingo are living large in Migori and Kisumu, with most of them driving top-of-the range cars.
Recently, the two countries; Kenya and Uganda opted for diplomacy to resolve Migingo bounder wrangles that have been in existence for close to a decade now.
The ministers in charge of fisheries in the two countries resolved to solve the Migingo Island stalemate among other issues by March 15, 2019.
During an inter-ministerial meeting between the two countries held Tuesday in Nairobi, other issues that were discussed during Tuesday’s meeting included trade, movement of people across the border and relationship between border communities.
“There are some decisions we take in the EAC, but sometimes on the ground you find that there are hiccups because they are not implemented well. We decided that we are going to use this bilateral arrangement to talk and iron the issues by making proposals to sort out issues that arise,” said Edith Mwanje, the PS, Ministry of EAC Affairs, Uganda.