Siaya senator Oburu Oginga has called on Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni to work with Kenya in jointly managing Lake Victoria, saying shared responsibility would enhance security and protect livelihoods along the border. He made the appeal during the Kisumu launch of the Kisumu–Malaba Standard Gauge Railway, where both Presidents William Ruto and Museveni were present.
Oginga argued that cooperative management of the lake would reduce harassment and conflicts that have affected fishermen and border communities. He stressed that peaceful coexistence requires both countries to see Lake Victoria as a common resource, jointly monitored and managed.
“Your Excellency President Museveni, I appeal to you, please make this lake of ours, Lake Victoria, a common user facility so that you can manage the security of the lake jointly with us,” Oginga said.
“We don’t want harassment from our side and from your side.”
He also highlighted the shared history and cultural connections of communities living on both sides of the border. Oginga noted that ethnic groups such as the Samia and Teso have historically lived across what is now Kenya and Uganda, and that collaboration is essential to maintain peace.
“These countries of Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania were supposed to be one country. It is just because of colonial divisions that they became separate,” he said.
The remarks came as President Ruto and Museveni officially launched the Kisumu–Malaba segment of Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway. The leaders presided over the groundbreaking, marking the start of construction on a project designed to improve trade and transport between the two nations.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said the railway will include both passenger and freight stations to support mobility along the western corridor.
“We will have a passenger terminus in Kisumu and intermediate stations in Narok, Mulot, Bomet, Sotik, Sondu, and Ahero,” Chirchir said.
“On the Kisumu–Malaba section, the passenger terminus will be in Malaba, with intermediate stations in Yala and Mumias.”
The Naivasha–Kisumu line will cover about 264 kilometres, with an 8.69-kilometre spur linking it to a proposed Kisumu port. The Kisumu–Malaba extension adds another 107 kilometres, forming a continuous railway from Mombasa to the Uganda border.
Oginga praised the railway, noting that infrastructure is key to connecting East African countries and stimulating development.
“Without proper infrastructure, it is impossible to connect our countries,” he said.
Tensions around Lake Victoria have occasionally flared, particularly over fishing areas such as Migingo Island. In December 2025, President Ruto pledged to resolve disputes diplomatically while safeguarding the rights of Kenyan fishermen and maintaining good relations with Uganda.
Recent agreements between Kenya and Uganda on fisheries, tourism, agriculture, transport, and investment reflect a deepening of bilateral ties and ongoing efforts to share resources on Lake Victoria peacefully.