Kenya, Uganda to issue joint fishing licence in Migingo truce

Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho has called for the speedy implementation of a new joint fishing licensing framework agreed upon by Kenya and Uganda to resolve the long‑standing dispute over Migingo Island.

Speaking shortly after Presidents William Ruto and Yoweri Museveni sealed the historic deal, Joho said the arrangement will protect the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen on Lake Victoria.

Under the agreement, the two countries will jointly issue fishing licenses to ensure fairness and equal access to the lake’s resources.

“Going forward, issues of creating a license framework that will enable Kenyan fisherfolk or Kenyan participants in the field of fishing to have ease in accessing the Ugandan waters in a manner that is clear and supported by some kind of a framework. So yesterday we signed the MoU,” said Joho.

Uganda’s Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Frank Tumwebaze said the plan also addresses fishing transit arrangements.

He noted that Uganda will support fish transport across its territory and crack down on illegal fishing.

“We will also look at issues of fishing transit… to ensure that illegitimate people who are doing illegal fishing on our side do not use the cover of people from this side,” Tumwebaze explained.

The deal is expected to ease cross‑border tensions, end arbitrary arrests of fishermen, and promote sustainable fishing in the shared waters of Lake Victoria.