Residents of Homa Bay County have been urged to embrace the ongoing development projects at Homa Bay, Kendu bay and Mbita piers which will transform the region.
The ongoing rehabilitation at the three piers in the area is meant to improve them into a regional harbour where ships navigating East African countries will dock.
Speaking during the annual Homa Bay Beach Management Unit (BMU) convention at a Homa Bay hotel on Thursday, the area County Commissioner (CC), Harman Shambi said the ports once completed will create employment opportunities to the youth, besides expanding the region.
Shambi further called upon the residents to maintain peace so as to attract those people who would like to invest in the region.
“Let us use the stone as a valuable building material rather than a weapon lest we scare away investors. We need our towns to transform with the handshake projects,’ said Shambi.
The administrator also warned the fishermen against engaging in sexual activities with school going girls, saying that those found will be arrested and charged in Court.
“We have opened serious war on teenage pregnancy and early marriages, sex for fish destroy the future of our promising young girls. We will sell your boat or motorbike to facilitate the young girls to study,” Shambi cautioned.
The CC, who was also accompanied by Director of Disaster Management and Special Programmes, Eliud Onyango and County Security team further appealed to the fishermen to be cautious of terrorism while undertaking their activities in Lake Victoria.
He called on them to work very closely with security agencies in reporting people suspected to be criminals for necessary action.
Shambi revealed that they have set a Border Patrol Base in Mbita since the County is vulnerable to insecurity across the waters especially with the rehabilitation of the ports across Lake Victoria
“Get this clearly, we should be sensitive about terrorism and related attacks. Conspiring with the terrorists will warrant imprisonment however much the laws may vary from country to country,” warned Shambi.
Onyango encouraged the fisherman to put on life saving jackets while in the lake and restrain from using illegal gears in fishing.
He further urged the members to use the lake sustainably by practicing proper methods of waste management as this will translate to high productivity from the lake.
By Godwine Ochieng/Dan Oduor
