Busia: Sigh of relief to hundreds of fishermen in Lake Victoria following bilateral talks between Kenya and Uganda to address the regular harassment of fishermen by security personnel from the neighbouring country for encroachment and violation of the fishing policies. In a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while responding to the question raised by Busia Women Rep. Catherine Omanyo on decisive measures by the government to address the persistent oppression of fishermen in the lake by security from neighbouring countries, the Ministry briefed on the bilateral talks held on May 12th to 14th 2024 in an effort to identify the underlying issues.
According to Kenya News Agency, the meeting, which resolved to harmonise the policies on the lake, will see fishermen trained and engaged in the use of the right fishing gear so as to prevent fishermen from fishing premature fish. The Ministry has resolved to regularly engage the Uganda counterparties through the Kenyan Embassy. ‘Besides the use of the Embass
y, some of these issues will be resolved through the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) of April 2022 between Kenya and Uganda, which is implemented through the Joint Defence Committee (JDC),’ she highlighted.
The timely concern by Ms. Omanyo came at a time Kenyan fishermen continue to be arrested, with a total number of over 20 fishermen serving jail terms or in detention in the neighbouring country. This is according to Beach Management Unit Reports in Busia. ‘Fishing remains a vital economic activity of families in Bunyala and Samia Sub-counties, contributing both directly and indirectly to 40 per cent of economic activities in Busia County. Therefore, any security issue which threatens its sustainability must be dealt with urgently,’ stressed Omanyo.
In the years 2023, over 230 Kenyan fishermen were arrested while in Lake Victoria for encroachment or fishing with kits which violated the lake policies. 17 boats and over 32 fishing nets were destroyed for failure to meet the required standard. The drasti
c reduction of the fish in the lake has affected the fishing business in the region, ‘and that is why I am calling upon all governors from Busia, Siaya, Migori, Homa Bay, and Kisumu to embrace fish cage farming as a measure to mitigate this lake conflict.
The resolution will see Kenyan fish traders and fishermen continue to export over 800 metric tonnes of fish to the DRC and South Sudan on a weekly basis, a business which has employed over four thousand youths in Busia County.