East African Community minister Amason Kingi said the fishermen feared being attacked by the Ugandan troops.
Uganda sent marine and riot police to the island on Thursday,
heightening tension between the two countries locked in a dispute over
the ownership of the island.
At a press conference at his Cooperative House office in Nairobi, Mr
Kingi warned that the friction between the two countries could threaten
the East African Community treaty.
He said he and Prime Minister Raila Odinga would visit Uganda in two weeks to discuss the matter.
He was concerned that the dispute could undermine the Common Market Protocol, which is expected to be ready by the end of March.
The protocol is expected to usher in rights of residence, free movement
of goods and services, capital, people and labour within the East
African Community.
The minister said the presence of armed soldiers in Migingo contravened the East African Community treaty.
Nyatike MP Edick Anyanga and his Kasipul-Kabondo counterpart Joseph
Magwanga asked the government to deploy the navy to the area to protect
Kenyan fishermen.
Muhuru district officer Kyalo Kaloki, however, asked residents not to panic.
Kenya formed a four-man inter-ministerial team led by Lands minister
James Orengo to address the conflict. The Kenyan and Ugandan teams
hired a mapping firm late last year to survey the island. The matter is
now before the East African Community.