Tanzania, Kenya border marking preps completed

SENIOR officials from Tanzania and Kenya met in Tarime yesterday to bless the reaffirmation and demarcation of the international boundary between the two East African sister countries.

The exercise is now set to kick off at the shore of Lake Victoria to Lake Natron, according to the Assistant Director of Surveys in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, Mr Huruma Lugalla.

“The aim is to reaffirm and demarcate the international boundary between Tanzania and Kenya for it to be visible easily,” Mr Luglla told reporters at the sidelines of the high profile meeting which was attended by several government experts from both countries.

The entire land boundary between the two countries is about 760 kilometres but the first phase would cover 238 kilometres, he said.

“The phase will start from Shirati in Lake Victoria to Lake Natron in Arusha and the exercise should be completed by June this year,” he said.

The border, he said, was demarcated during the colonial period, and that, therefore, it was imperative for the exercise to be done at this time and that sensitisation and inspection had already been conducted in order to make leaders and citizens living across the border from both sides to be aware of the exercise.

Speaking on behalf of the Kenyan delegation, Narok County Commissioner, Mr George Natembeya said it was important for each country to know its boundaries. “We had done an inspection and the good thing is that the border between Tanzania and Kenya is straight,” Mr Natembeya remarked.

He said the citizens from both sides were involved so that they could take care of the demarcations (pillars) after the exercise