Tiny Island of 500 Inhabitants Becomes a Battleground, a Haven of Casinos and Brothels

A tiny island in the middle of Lake Victoria has drawn the world’s attention. It measures only around 2,000 square metres — less than half a football pitch — yet it is home to more than 500 people, making it one of the most densely populated places on earth.

The island, named Migingo, lies in the border area between Kenya and Uganda. Besides housing hundreds of residents, its location in waters teeming with fish has made the tiny island the object of a dispute between the two neighbouring countries.

According to Al Jazeera, the island — originally just a small rocky outcrop — is now filled with simple corrugated iron structures. Within this extremely limited space stand homes, food stalls, bars, brothels and even an open-air casino serving fishermen and newcomers.

Migingo was little more than a rock jutting out of the water before the lake began receding in the early 1990s, according to Emmanuel Kisiangani, a senior researcher at the Pretoria office of the Institute for Security Studies.

Fish catches have declined sharply over the years among fishing communities around Lake Victoria due to overfishing and an invasion of water hyacinth plants that obstruct transport on the lake and access to ports. However, species such as the Nile perch (also known as the African barramundi) remain abundant in the deep waters around Migingo, making the island a valuable and unique fishing hub.

Dispute Between Two Nations: Kenya vs Uganda

Although physically tiny, Migingo has ignited a prolonged political tension. Kenya and Uganda both claim ownership of the island, and even formed a joint committee in 2016 to settle the border. However, the effort stalled, as both countries refer to colonial-era maps from the 1920s that have never provided clarity.

“This island is actually no-man’s land,” said Eddison Ouma, a Ugandan fisherman.

Many have dubbed the conflict “Africa’s smallest war”.

Amid the cramped space and legal ambiguity, life on Migingo carries on. Fishermen come and go, bringing in catches that sell well on the international market. But behind this, limited infrastructure, poor sanitation and murky law enforcement are everyday realities.

Thanks to continued exports to the European Union and surging demand for barramundi in Asia, the large fish has become an export worth millions of dollars. Uganda began deploying armed police and marines to Migingo to collect taxes from fishermen.

Meanwhile, Kenyan fishermen began complaining about the treatment by Ugandan authorities, who were accused of harassment on various grounds, including allegations of illegal fishing in Ugandan waters. In response, the Kenyan government deployed marines to Migingo, nearly sparking a clash between the two countries.