Exploring Migingo, The World's Most Populous Island Contested By Two Countries

JAKARTA - Imagine an island that is less than half a football field, but is inhabited by more than 500 people. The island is real, and its name is Migingo, a small island on Lake Victoria, the border between Kenya and Uganda.

This is one of the most populous places in the world, not a metropolitan city, but a rock that turns into a center of life.

Reporting from the Aljazeera page, the area of Migingo Island is only about 2,000 square meters, or approximately equivalent to half a football field. However, in that narrow space there are zinc huts, small bars, merchantries, an emergency port, to open casinos.

There are no parks, roads, or playgrounds. Every corner is filled with humans and activities. In a density context, Migingo beat major cities like Manila or Dhaka. However, the most striking thing is the dispute between Kenya and Uganda which both claim ownership of the island.

According to Emmanuel Kisimagani, senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria, Migingo was once just a rock bump in the middle of the lake before the water surface began to recede in the early 1990s.

Over time, fish catch around Lake Victoria has decreased drastically due to overfishing and the spread of hyacinth hyacinth plants that hinder water transportation and access to ports.

However, in the deep waters around Migingo, high-value nil fish (Nile perch) are still abundant. This makes this island an important and profitable fishing center.

In 2004, when Migingo was still almost empty, Uganda began sending armed police and marine officers to the island on the grounds of wanting to protect fishermen from pirates and collect taxes. This move sparked complaints from Kenyan fishermen who claimed to be frequently disturbed by Ugandan officials, for being accused of illegally catching fish in Ugandan waters.

The Kenyan government has finally sent marine troops to Migingo. Tensions have risen and the two countries have almost been involved in armed conflict.

As the number of people on the island continues to grow, Kenya and Uganda agreed to form a joint committee to set regional boundaries in 2016 using old maps from the 1920s era. However, until now, there has been no clear outcome from the committee.

Now, the small island is jointly managed by the two countries, although tensions still arise over time. Some fishermen call it the "minest war" in Africa.

"They have not yet decided who owns this island. This is land without a master," said Eddison Ouma, a fisherman from Uganda.

Even so, the economic value of this island continues to rise. Demand for the export of nil fish to the European Union remains high, while in Asia, the fish section called swim bladder or fish maw is considered a luxurious food. Nil fish are also increasingly being hunted.

According to Kennedy Ochieng, a fisherman from Kenya, the price of hippo fish has increased by 50 percent in the last five years. Fish with large sizes and good quality can be valued at more than 300 US dollars or IDR 4.9 million per kilogram in the international export market.