JOINT COMMUNIQUE BY HIS EXCELLENCY HON. MWAI KIBAKI, C.G.H., M.P., PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA AND HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT YOWERI MUSEVENI OF UGANDA ON MIGINGO ISLAND, ARUSHA, 29 April 2009

H.E President Mwai Kibaki and H. E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, met on the sidelines of the 10th Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State on 29th April 2009 at Ngurudoto Forest Lodge, Arusha, Tanzania.

The two leaders:

Recalling the Joint Communiqué issued following the Ministerial meeting held on 13th and 14th March 2009 at the Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo, Kampala, Uganda, and the cordial consultations held in Lusaka, Zambia on the sidelines of the EAC/COMESA/SADC Tripartite Conference on the North-South Corridor, held in early April 2009 ;

Mindful of the negative impact that the misunderstanding on the question of Migingo Island could have on the on-going efforts towards the East African Community integration;

Noting the strong historical, cultural and socio-economic ties that bind the two countries and their peoples;

Conscious of the need for the sustainable management of the resources of Lake Victoria within the framework of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission and the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization;

Reaffirming the mutual objective of the Governments of the two countries to attain regional intergration within the framework of the Treaty establishing the East African Community;

Determined to settle the question of Migingo Island amicably and in the spirit of East African solidarity and partnership;

Have agreed as follows:

a) The Joint Survey Team which was directed by the bilateral Ministerial meeting held on the 13th and 14th March 2009 at Kampala, Uganda to carry out a joint survey of the boundary between the two countries on Lake Victoria concludes its work expeditiously and in any case not later than 60 days from the date of this Communique.

b) During the execution of its work, the Joint Survey Team shall be guided by the provisions of the British Order in Council of 1926, the Kenyan Constitution of 1963 and the Ugandan Constitution of 1995.

c) Pending the completion of the joint boundary survery exercise, the Uganda flag on Migingo Island shall be lowered.

d) The two leaders directed that the The Inspector General of Police of Uganda and the Police Commissioner of Kenya should constantly consult to ensure that law and order is maintained on the Island.

e) Further, the two leaders agreed to continue to consult amicably in order to ensure that this matter is settled in the true spirit of furthering East African cooperation.

Issued at Arusha on 29th April, 2009.