By CGTN's Jerry Owilli
The tiny Migingo Island on Lake Victoria is less than a third of the size of a football pitch, yet hundreds of people live there.
The population, mainly fishermen, are crammed onto the rocky island, living on top of each other, in often desperate conditions. What’s more? Migingo is also the source of a dispute between Kenya and Uganda, as each country claims ownership of the island.
It might seem bizarre for such a tiny piece of land to attract so much interest, but in reality it deserves every bit of it.
Those who live on the tiny island have very little interest in what lies on it. It is what lies in the water that they are interested in.
While much of Lake Victoria is struggling with depleted fish stocks, the deep waters surrounding Migingo are still teeming with the lake’s equivalent of gold – Nile Perch.
Huge amounts of money circulate in this small island, and at times the fishermen run short of ways to spend their earnings.
The island is covered in a maze of corrugated iron shacks, separated by steep and narrow paths.
There are very few amenities, and the island lacks a hospital or doctors. Medical services are offered by a single pharmacist.
Nevertheless, the inhabitants are comfortable with life on the island, at least as long as they earn their money.
Migingo’s political future is uncertain, with both Kenya and Uganda insisting that it belongs to them. The two countries have deployed their respective police forces there. As long as there are fish however, the inhabitants are on the island to stay.
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