Politics and policy
President Uhuru Kenyatta. Photo/FILE
By EDWIN MUTAI
In Summary
Kenya will spend more than Sh5.6 billion over the
next five years to carry out survey, mapping and maintenance of its
international boundaries.
The country is under obligation to carry out the exercises
in conjunction with her neighbours-Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and South
Sudan— a report by President Uhuru Kenyatta says.
The report titled “Progress Made in Fulfilling the
International Obligations of the Republic”, tabled by Mr Kenyatta in
Parliament two weeks ago says the country is required to submit
International Boundary Surveys to the African Union (AU) and the United
Nations (UN) by 2017 together with accompanying treaties.
“Kenya has to be in agreement with her neighbouring
countries as regards the common international boundaries,” Mr Kenyatta
said .
“The challenges include ambiguous description of
boundaries, inadequate funding for the survey and capacity building and
the fact that Kenya cannot carry out surveys alone but must do so in
liaison with her neighbours.”
Mr Kenyatta says the declaration on the African
Union Border Programme (AUBP) was demanded by the persistence of border
delimitation and demarcation issues in Africa where only less than a
quarter of the boundaries have been delimitated and demarcated.
Kenya has been conducting a joint border
demarcation with Uganda after a dispute arose over the control of the
fish-rich Migingo and Ugingo islands.
The Administration and National Security committee
chaired by Tiaty Member of Parliament Asman Kamama told Parliament last
week that the only clearly demarcated boundary between Kenya and her
neighbours is the border with Ethiopia.
Kenya is already involved in a row with Somalia
over the maritime border, raising concern that the feud may deter
multinational oil companies from exploring for oil and gas offshore.
The two nations disagree over the location of their
boundary in the Indian Ocean.At stake are legal claims to sell rights
for exploration and collect revenue from any discovery.
Kenya had identified eight new offshore exploration
blocks available for licensing, and all but one of them are located in
the contested area.
President Kenyatta says in his report that the AUBP declaration was also informed by the need to address cross-border crime
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