Fishermen and residents living along the shores of Lake Victoria have been cautioned to be extra careful while approaching the lake to avoid human wildlife conflict.
Subsequently, Homa Bay County Commissioner Moses Lilan has decried rampant cases of human wild conflict in Sub counties bordering the lake such as Rangwe, Homa Bay town, Suba South, Suba North and Rachuonyo North where many lives have been lost as a result of the same.
Speaking to KNA at his office Friday, Lilan said that the interaction between human beings and wildlife would be controlled by residents exercising more caution whenever they were in the lake.
“The lake is dangerous, hence people should be careful when they are there. We cannot stop them from going to the waters because it is a source of their livelihood neither can we stop the hippos and crocodiles from coming out,” said the County Commissioner.
Talking about compensation, the CC reiterated that when the life of a loved one has been lost, it is not enough as no value of money could replace human life.
On the general security of the Lake, Lilan said that a coast guards security post has already been set up in Mbita town and assured the residents that it would start functioning in the next few weeks.
He said that the officers would stop the perennial harassment of fishermen that have for long bedeviled the lake.
“We know that our fishermen have always been harassed but we believe that with the coming of the coast guards, all this unfairness is going to stop,” he said.
“The lake will be policed to make sure that whatever is being done in the lake is lawful. The purpose of bringing in coastguards is to secure the waters of the lake and our borders,” added Lilan.
At the same time, the County Commissioner warned some crafty businessmen from the neighbouring countries of Uganda and Tanzania who come in through the lake to do illegal businesses and other mundane activities along the lake shore that they risked prosecution.
“We have already arrested some aliens who have been clandestinely undertaking jobs that Kenyans ought to be doing,” he disclosed.
By Dan Oduor/Davis Langat
