This archive report was first published on 12 November 2021.
Published on November 12, 2021, Kenya and Tanzania have commenced a joint reaffirmation of their shared border from Lake Victoria to the Indian Ocean.
The reaffirmation exercise aims to ensure that the boundary is visibly marked on the ground by erecting pillars, which will be made up of iron rods, binding wire, cement, sand, and ballast.
The process will be carried out in six phases, covering a total distance of 760km. The sections include Mwishoni (Lake Victoria) to the Mara River (118km), the Mara River to Lake Natron (120km), Lake Natron to Namanga (110km), Namanga to Oloitoktok/Tarakea (110km), Oloitoktok to Lake Jipe and the land boundary of Ruvu Pangani (100km), Lake Jipe to Karuma Hills (90km), and Karuma Hills to Vanga (110km).
Ms Lucy Mburu, a deputy director at the Department of Survey, said the process will cover about 760km and will involve the re-establishment of destroyed pillars and the erection of new ones. A new agreement will also be drafted to replace old colonial-era ones.
Speaking at a public forum in Mausa, Narok South sub-county, Narok County Commissioner Evans Achoki said the pillars will be erected at a distance of 250 metres and 500 metres to mark the limits of the respective territory. He added that local communities will be involved in the reaffirmation exercise, providing labour and supplying construction materials.
Joseph Rotich, a surveyor at the Kenya International Boundaries Office, said geographical names, features, and public utilities located up to two kilometres on both sides of the border will be listed by the cartographic team. He also stated that the community will be involved in building the pillars, earning an income, and maintaining the boundary markers.
The pillars will be marked with 'KE' on one side, representing the Republic of Kenya, and 'TZ' on the other side, representing Tanzania. The process aims to demystify the pillars, as many locals mistakenly believed that mineral resources existed beneath the markers, leading to their destruction.
