There is a need for the countries in the East Africa community to develop a framework on the use of Lake Victoria to avert perennial harassment of fishermen in the lake.
According to Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs Cabinet Secretary (CS) Hassan Ali Joho, Lake Victoria is a common resource, and it is only through having a framework that the East African countries will harmoniously use it.
Cases of Kenyan fishermen being harassed and losing their lives in the hands of neighbouring authorities have gone unabated for years, with the fishermen crying for help from the government falling on deaf ears.
Joho said that the government will take advantage of the Kenyan chairmanship of the East Africa community to solve the matter once and for all.
He revealed that he will be visiting his Ugandan Fisheries counterpart to discuss how a framework on the use of the lake can be developed together with the other remaining East African countries.
“I will go there with a lot of respect and humility to discuss with my counterpart on how we can solve this issue once and for all. No country should harass fishermen from another country,” he said.
Joho was speaking during a tour of fish landing sites in Bondo and Rarieda Sub Counties, where he pledged that the government will support modern cold storage facilities at Usenge, Wichlum, and Kamito landing sites to boost the fishing industry in the region.
The CS observed that the three beaches had enormous potential to supply fish not only in Kenya and the East African region but also for the European market if supported by the government.
“We (government) have to make deliberate efforts to improve facilities in the lake region. It cannot be that in 2025, fishermen in Nyanza have not received enough support from the government and are struggling in poverty despite the enormous natural resource,” Joho said.
By Brian Ondeng
