Kisumu — Eleven fishermen are being held by Ugandan authorities after their arrest on Monday in Lake Victoria in Siaya County.
According to Nambo Beach Management Unit (BMU) chairman Alfred Ochieng, the fishermen have been nabbed whereas on a fishing expedition.
Ochieng mentioned they’re being held at Sigulu island in Uganda for unknown offence.
“We received reports that our members were arrested but up to now we do not know on what offence,” he mentioned.
Ochieng mentioned they dispatched a workforce to the world the place they have been arrested and located their fishing boats floating on the water.
“All the fishing boats were towed up to Nambo Beach in Bondo sub county safely,” he mentioned.
He famous that the Ugandan authorities are demanding 40 litres of gas every for his or her launch, an equavalent of Ksh.10,000.
Ochieng mentioned they hoped the harrassment in the lake would die down after President William Ruto throughout his Nyanza tour final month promised to interact his Ugandan counterpart President Yuweri (*11*) to finish the lengthy standing dispute in the lake.
“It’s still our plea to President Ruto, to make a serious follow up on this matter with Uganda, we’re suffering in this lake, we need a lasting solution,” mentioned Ochieng.
Fishermen have in the previous detained in the neighbouring international locations resulting from tress go and use of unlawful fishing gears.
In most events, they’ve misplaced their catch and different fishing tools/gears.
Kenya solely controls 6 p.c of the lake whereas Tanzania occupies 49 p.c and Uganda has 45 p.c.
However, scientists imagine most fish species breed on the Kenyan facet of the lake earlier than they swim into deeper waters, forcing Kenyan fishermen to comply with them up for harvesting and find yourself being arrested.
