Ugandan police beat Kenyan chief and AP officer on Migingo island

PHOTO/Nation

– A Kenyan assistant chief and an AP officer were attacked and injured by Ugandan police officers on Migingo island, the police officers had confronted the Kenyan chief asking her authority on the island

– The AP officer was beaten after trying to rescue the chief from being assaulted

– Ugandan police also beat up Kenyan fishermen on the island after the attack on the chief and AP officer

A Kenyan assistant chief and an administration police officer were on Saturday, March 12, beaten by Ugandan police officers on the disputed Migingo island.

The assistant chief Esther Masasi was Masasi was allegedly attacked by 10 fishermen from Uganda who ordered her to accompany them to a nearby Ugandan police station.

Corporal Samwel Ocharo the AP officer tried to intervene to help the chief but was beaten by the Ugandan police officers.

The Ugandan police officers had questioned the Kenyan chief on her legality as an administrator of the island which the Ugandan officers claimed is under their control.

“They came and found me near the beach where fishermen were offloading their catch and they informed me that I was required at the police station, which is manned by Ugandan officers, saying their police chief, Sergeant Denis Nenis, had summoned me in his office. I told them that was not the best way to summon me and they pulled me off my seat and started raining blows and kicks on me,” the chief said.

The chief had to escape the island after the incident. Kenyans on the island blamed the government of laxity and taking the security of its citizens on the island for granted.

“We currently have only four police officers in this place when the Ugandans have about 30 of them,” said the chief.

According to residents after the attack on the chief and AP officer more Ugandan police officers started to beat Kenyan fishermen and this caused tension on the island.

Migingo island has been disputed by both Kenya and Uganda with Kenyan fishermen constantly being harassed by the Ugandan police who claim they are fishing on Ugandan waters.

Ugandan police have also resorted to attack officials from Kenya on the island.

Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission(IEBC) officials were on Tuesday, March, 8 arrested on the disputed Migingo island by Uganda police officers.

The officers claimed that they had not been made aware of the voter registration exercise and thus confiscated Biometric Voter Registration from the two clerks.

According to Daily Nation, Uganda police demanded a written notification from IEBC headquarters in Nairobi before they can allow the exercise to continue.

This article was first published on Tuko

Read full article here : Tuko