The Homa Bay county government has launched the fight against the spread of corona virus in all the 145 beaches of Lake Victoria in the region by distributing 6000 face masks and sanitation materials to prevent the virus.
The distribution of the materials is being undertaken by the county department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries to ensure that the beach communities are protected against the spread of the infectious disease.
Speaking to the press at the County headquarters, County Executive Committee Member (CEC) in charge of Agriculture, Juma Aguko said that the initiative is aimed at protecting the fishermen and beach dwellers that are not able to afford the materials for personal safety.
Aguko called on the beach leaders to ascertain that the distribution of the face masks, soaps and hand sanitisers are done in a transparency manner so that those who deserve get their share.
The CEC further said that the county government receives some of the sanitation materials from section non-state actors, adding that they are still in the process of collaborating with other NGOs to support them in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
At the same time Aguko, appealed to beach leaderships to always protect the lake borders by reporting to the government authority those who sneak into the beaches from the neighbouring countries of Uganda and Tanzania.
While on his part the Homa-Bay County Beach Management Network vice-chairman Tom Guda applauded the move by the county government he encouraged the beach inhabitants to adhere to government’ public health protocols in the fight against deadly virus.
By Dan Oduor and Davis Langat
