Category Archives: Fishing

Global Ocean Legacy: Marine conservation for A new century

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From: Yona Maro

The Mariana Trench is the deepest point on Earth – five times longer than the Grand Canyon and so deep it could swallow Mount Everest with more than a mile of water to spare. Despite being within the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the area remains a mystery to most Americans, only occasionally appearing in news stories such as during filmmaker James Cameron’s 2012 voyage to its depths.

Papah?naumoku?kea Marine National Monument is located in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Within its pristine waters are some of the healthiest coral reefs in the world, home to more than 7,000 marine species, one-quarter found only in the Hawaiian Archipelago. The islands and shallow-water environments are important habitats for rare species such as the threatened green sea turtle, the world’s rarest species of duck, and the endangered Hawaiian monk seal. In addition, 14 million seabirds representing 18 species breed and nest on an area of land less than 15 square kilometers (six square miles) in size.
http://www.pewenvironment.org/uploadedFiles/PEG/Publications/Other_Resource/GOL%20Book%20English-Final%20V1.pdf
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5,000 Kenyans displaced along the Ethiopian border following intermitent raids and killing of ten vilagers in the past one week

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5000 KENYANS HAVE FLED THEIR HOMES ALONG THE KENYA-ETHIOPIAN BORDER FOLLOWINGTHE RECENT KILLINGS OF TEN VILLAGERS BY MERILLE MILITIAMEN IN BORDER RAIDS.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo

MORE than 5,000 people, mainly Kenyan nomadic Turkana tribesmen have been displaced and forced to flee their homes along the Kenya-Ethiopia common border after the attacks by Merille militiamen.

The militiamen from Ethiopia Merille tribe have been attacking villages and fishermen on Lake Turkana. They have been reportedly killed close to ten people in the past two weeks.

A senior Kenyan government official operating on he Kenyan side of the borer confirmed the incident.

“We are deploying security teams along the border to help deal with invaders who have been tormenting our people,” said the District Commissioner for the Turkana North Mr Albert Mwlitsa, adding that the displaced families have since fled their homes and moved away from the villages close t the borderline.”

The D.C said although tension is high in the area, the security personnel posted there will soon bring the situation under control

Ethiopian authorities have also moved their security personnel and deployed their teams a five key border points along their common borders with Kenya.

The official further disclose that tension rose in the area two week ago after the heavily armed Merille militiamen had attacked the innocent Kenyan villagers and killed two people at a place called Mayan a few kilometers from the volatile Todonyang’ border post.

He added, however, that it has been difficult for the security personnel to stop the militiamen frequent raids. “We are working round the clock together and jointly with Ethiopians, but the prevailing high tension has made it difficult to have the community elders in the areas to engage in dialogue so that we could find a lasting peace,” said Mr Mwilitsa over the phone interview.

At the same it has been reported that 500 fishermen from the two countries have fled Lake Turkana following the recent killing of their five colleagues by Merille militiamen.

This particular incident has brought the fishing activities on the lake to halt. Fishing operations inside lake Turkana have been paralyzed.
Clashes between fishermen from the two countries are blamed on Merille militiamen. The Kenyan fishermen were attacked and shot dead on the shores of the lake as they were preparing their fishing nets.

Fishing cannot flourish with insecurity all over. We have agreed that we would jointly restore the security situation so that our people can engage on commercial fishing”, said the D.C. the government has agreed to increase the number o marine polic in the lake from ten to 35. They will be given extra motor boa to be used in patrolling the lake,which is shared by the two countries.

However, Lake Turkana is largely controlled by Ethiopian groups making it difficult for Kenyan fishermen to eat there peacefully.

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State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2012

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From: Yona Maro

The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2012 reveals that the sector produced a record 128 million tonnes of fish for human food – an average of 18.4 kg per person – providing more than 4.3 billion people with about 15 percent of their animal protein intake. Fisheries and aquaculture are also a source of income for 55 million people.

http://www.fao.org/docrep/016/i2727e/i2727e.pdf

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Kenya: Researcher expresses fears about the dwindling stocks of fish in Lake Victoria following industrial pollution and hyacinth weeds

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo in Kisumu City.

FISH stocks in Lake Victoria have reduced so much to a near depletion, according to the latest research finding.

Dr Juma Jembe a researcher working with the Kenya Marine Fisheries Research Institute has disclosed that statistics of fish stocks in the Nyanza Gulf areas of Lake Victoria is causing a lot of anxiety and worries to scientists.

“The Gulf a stretch of about 60 kilometers, and there is hardly any fish,” said Dr. Jembe, adding that the availability of the economically and commercially important Nile Perch was as low as 1,2 kg per hectare.

The worst affected places are fish landing sites in Kisumu,Siaya and Homa-Bay with some areas in Kisumu region hardly having any fish left in the water. aerial Satellite pictures show the Gulf stretch having a thick green layer.

However, many sections of Tanzania and Uganda have blue clean water. A team of journalist from the Nairobi daily, THE STANDARD, visited Dunga Beach which is located in the outskirt of the Kisumu City, a fish landing beach which has close to 500 fishermen, most of who were reported to be forlom, with their catches being at the lowest in the history of their fishing activity.

Dr Jembe was later quoted by the STANDARD as having attributed the worsening pollution of the lake, especially in the Nyanza Gulf {formerly Kavirondo Gulf} has made it not conducive for fish. Poor farming methods in the water catchment areas has also resulted in nitrates and phosphates in the water.

“The fish move towards areas such as Mbita, where the water is less polluted. This has forced those in the affected to catch even immature fish,” said the scientist.

He went on, ”There is a lot of domestic and industrial effluence in the lake from Kisumu and Homa-Bay.Effluence from sugarcane factories provides nutrients for the obnoxious water hyacinth.

“The weed takes up oxygen and releases carbon dioxide which does not support the existence of fish,’ the researcher said.

Hyacinth has been a major impediment to the survival of fish,” Dr Jember said, adding that “the wind often blows towards many areas of the Nyanza Gulf and thus moves the weeds such as Migori to the Gulf.”

The researcher, however, was silent over the recent alarming claims that some unscrupulous are killing millions of fish through the use of chemicals for easy catches.

Fears persist in all the three countries of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda which shared the Lake Victoria waters that marketing fish, especially for exports into developed countries markets such to the EU nations, Middle East, Japan, Israel and the United States would experience difficulties after the word spreads to those countries about the chemical fishing.

Chemicals kills immature fish, destroys the fish breeding grounds, and could prove to be health hazards to the consumers.

Fishing industry and fish trades supports close to 10 million people who lives around the shorelines of the world second largest sweet water mass

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EAC member states jointly sharing waters of lake Victoria are blamed for not policing bad fishing practices including the use of chemicals for killing fish in breeding grounds

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

MEMBER states of the East African Community {EAC} would soon find it difficult to export their fish to the European Union nations unless they put in place joint effort to stamp out chemical fishing in Lake Victoria.

Kenya,Tanzania and Uganda shared the waters of Lake Victoria, However reports appearing in local press indicated there is alarming increase in cases where some unscrupulous fishermen are using chemicals fishing to boost their catches and other unconventional fishing methods, the use of unauthorized fishing gears such as the banned fish nets etc.

Countries that share Lake Victoria are also reported to be unwilling to invest money in joint campaign that would reduce overfishing and protect fish species threatened with extinction in lake despite the contribution these activities make to the economies of these countries.

Overfishing has led to the reduction of fish stocks in Uganda’s big natural water bodies, which contribute over 75 per cent of the total fish catch, thus threatening the country’s second biggest commodity export after coffee.

Fish prices have been on increase, but increment has not been reflected in earnings due to the reduction in the fish catch, which experts blame on dwindling stocks.

Information from Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization {LVFO} shows that Uganda,Tanzania and Kenya promised to contribute USD 600,000 each for the “Save he Nil Perch Fund”, but so far none has given a single penny.

The Nile Perch has, over the years, seen a reduction in it stocks and the money was meant to improve the stocks of this important fish in East Africa. The money was meant to increase to finance the capacity building of partner state institutions, research and combating of illegal fishing activities.

The highly prized Nile Perch is a key fish export for three countries and part of the money was meant to finance capacity building of partner state institutions, research and combating of illegal fishing nets.

The Executive Secretary of the LVFO Mr Dick Nyeko was quoted as having said that the institutions also suffers because states lack the willingness to pay their quotas to his organization. for example, he said, the financial year which is ending within a month time, but so far Uganda hasn’t paid its quota. Two months to the end of the financial year, official at the LVFO sat the organization is limping because it lacks money.

Uganda has paid 19 per cent of its USD 300,000 quota while Kenya gave only USD 200,000 which is 46 per cent of its quota, Tanzania has so far paid USD 247,136, which Is 15 per cent of its quota.

LVFO top official adds that without the threat of expulsion for failure to meet EAC obligations, ministries of agriculture in partner states receive the money and divert it to other remitting it to LVFO, Institutions fighting illegal fishing and for improvement of water quality are also grossly underfunded.

Uganda mostly depend on from EAC projects to safeguard Lake Victoria, with increasing agriculture agriculture in Kalangala Island, there is increased silting due to land recreation and fertilizers from a palm oil project running into Lake Sewage, processing industries and runoff from the surrounding towns is also threatening the lake.

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EAC is seeking the better way of funding its institutions independently

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

INFORMATION EMERGING FROM THE East African Community’s secretariat in Arusha says that the Secretary General Richard Sezibera is pushing forward for merger of the budget for all institutions attached to the EAC to help improve their funding.

Somme semi autonomous institutions like the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization {LNVFO} and The Inter-University Council of East Africa{IUCEA] have been operating below budget due to a funding gap after partner states failed to meet their quotas for the financial year that ends this June.

Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, which make up LVFO, have paid 27.6 per cent of the expected USD 837,258.33 while partner states have paid less than 40 per cent of the USD 800,000 they are supposed to pay to IUCEA.

The budgets of the two institutions will be merged with that of the EAC for the first time in the 2012 / 2013 financial year, but partner states will still pay their quotas to thee institutions independently.

Dr Sezibera who was on a visit to Uganda last week to inspect the projects of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission {LVBC} and LVFO however, said in future, the secretariat will have the powers to compel partner states to pay their quotas to all institutions of the EAC on time.”If the money is coming directly from the ministries of education and agriculture into the EAC, we have more leverage,”said Dr Sezibera during a brief address to newsmen at the end of his Ugandan tour.

The secretariat via instruction from the Council to the Summit, will force defaulting member countries to pay up, with help from their presidents.

The EAC secretariat is also seeking to strengthen IUCEA, which received the mandate of the in February to accredit universities in the region through the Inter University Council of East Africa Amendment Bill 2010.

The Secretary-General is also looking at increasing the mandate of the LVFO to cover all the waters of East Africa and for the region to have full control of the fish resources.

Expected Rwanda, Burundi membership.This process will start with the admission of Rwanda and Burundi into LVFO in July this year.

The coming financial year will also see EAC turn LVFO into an East African Fisheries Organization EALFO using a protocol or an East African Legislative Assembly Bill. The EALVFO will help seal loopholes in over-fishing which are exacerbated by having different administration units controlling different waters. EALVFO is also expected to improve the region’s capacity to effectively police its waters.

He went on,”As we address the issue of Somalia, the governments of East Africa have to ensure control of their waters,” Dr Sezibera said, adding that Somalia’s problems like piracy are a result of that country’s failure to control its territorial waters.

The EAC Chief Pointed out that illegal fishing of the Somali coast had denied local residents a key source of livelihood.

The Lake Fisheries Organization promotes the sustainable use of the water bodies resources.

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Kenya: The use of chemical fishing is soon whipping out all fish stocks inside Lake Victoria unless it is stamped out

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The entire fish stocks in Lake Victoria could be wiped out within the next few years unless the Kenyan government moves much faster and with speed to stamp out the use of chemicals in fishing by unscrupulous fishermen engaged in the use of unconventional and unauthorized fishing methods.

The Fisheries Ministry stands blamed for having abandoned the lake. The fisheries scouts who are usual deployed to oversee the orderly fishing in the lake by stopping those using unauthorized methods of fishing in the lake appeared to have abandoned the lake.

There are alarming increases in cases whereby unscrupulous fishermen engaged in illegal fishing activities with impunity.

Chemicals are used in fishing and not only reported to be killing fish in their thousands, but also destroying fish breeding grounds as well as killing fish fingerlings in the lake as well as endangering the lives of the consumers, something which is likely to put into jeopardy the marketing of Kenya’s fish into the overseas markets.

The environmentalists and conservationist have abandoned their duties and responsibilities of protecting Lake Victoria from environmental degradation pollution, overfishing and the increase use of unauthorized fishing methods by racketeers and profiteers

Lake Victoria is shared by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. All the three countries are known to be earning millions of dollars in foreign currency through the export of fish to the overseas markets, and the East African Community and donor agencies have poured millions of dollars in support of fishing programmes, research and environmental preservation..

Members of the fishing communities who are living along he shorelines of the lake have alleged that each time they arrest those using chemicals, the offender and the culprits are readily getting released by the authorities after bribing their away out of police and fisheries scouts custody.

A shocking incident recently occurred last month in Rarieda district where those enraged as fishermen lynched a man who was caught red-handed during the dead hours of the night to be using chemicals in the lake. The incident has resulted in dozens of people being arraigned in court facing prosecution on murder charges.

Those who were rounded up after the lynching incident have already appeared before a Kisumu court as murder suspects.

The fishermen in Rarieda told this writer that sometime last year, a senior officials from Fisheries department held a public Baraza near Luanda Kotieno beach. The officer was asked by those in attendance to state what they should done with those caught using chemicals, but the officer under pressure responded by telling the Baraza that they should in turn poison such uncouth fisherman and lynch them.

This is exactly what the move justice did near Luanda Kotieno last month. A fisherman who was caught red-handed using chemicals while fishing near the center was chased in the night by a mob of people who beat him to death.

They meted move justice to the illegal fisherman. This was in desperation after several incidences of cases of people caught using chemicals and handed either to the police or the Fisheries department officials quickly gained their freedom after bribing their way to freedom. Fishing regulations are being flouted all over.

As for now eight people are in custody waiting to be tried for murder. The suspects are mostly youths who work at the busy Luanda Kotieno beach as Matatu toughts or petty traders. They had responded to distress call by those who found someone using chemicals in the lake at night and catching hundreds of dead fish.

The suspects were later rounded from villages in Naya Kogweno sub-Location Uyoma West Location, Rarieda district, Siaya County.

The culprit who is now deceased took to his heels with vigilante youths in hot pursuit, and when they caught up with him they beat up him senselessly killing him instantly.

Incidents of chemical fishing have been reported in Busia, Bondo, Mbita, Rachuonyo and Seme area in Kisumu West district.

Lake Victoria fish is being exported to the European Union counties in Europe, Middle East, Japan, Israel and to a lesser extent to the United States, particularly the fillets from the economical and highly prized Nile Perch and Tilapia. The fish stock or both species have been depleted to near zero.

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EAST AFRICA: A STUDY REPORT HAS REVEALED THAT NEARLY ALL FISH SPECIES IN LAKE VICTORIA MAY BE EXTINCT IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS UNLESS POLLUTION AND OVERFISHING IS PUT ON CHECK.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

POOR management of the resources coupled with over-fishing, industrial pollution and the of Lake Victoria and its resources.

And now the residents of the region and the communities living along the shorelines of the lake as well as scientists and researchers have raised red flag over the reported rapid depletion of fish stock.

The fisheries ministry officials, especially the fish scouts and officials charged with the responsibilities of ensuring the orderly fishing stand to be blamed for not implementing the government policy to he letter.

Corruption is also cited when it comes to the issues involving fishermen’s using an unauthorized fishing net that kills immature fish.

The scientists and researchers have so far predicted that unless all these malpractices stopped, the lake could be depleted of all fish species in 30 years time, if the environmental degradation was not adequately addressed.

A damning study report recently released by the Lake Victoria Management Programme has revealed that production of the stock of the economically prized Nile Perch went down by 750,000 tones from 2005 to only 232,000tones in 2008.At the same time tilapia number dropped from 27,061 tones to 24,811tone during the same period of time.

“The fish industry sub-sector o the national economy which earns Kshs 7 billion annually in foreign exchange is now said to be set to record reduced revenue as a result,” says the report.

At the same time a researcher from a Swedish University has said that the number of fish species in Lake Victoria had dropped significantly from more than 400 at the turn of the twentieth century to only 192 a the turn of 21st century.

“The situation is alarming because over-fishing environmental degradation and pollution is still at the peak. Due to many industries up stream discharging pollutant material to the lake..

The scarcity of fish and acute supplies has I the recent past sent the prices of the commodity skyrocketing.

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EAST AFRICA: GLOBAL SHORTAGE OF FISH COULD LEAD TO THE BOOSTING OF EXPORTS OF THE LAKE VICTORIA’S ECONOMICALLY PRIZED NILE PERCH.

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Write Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

A shortage of Pangasius fish in international market markets following flooding in Vietnam is expected to boost Nile Perch exports from Lake Victoria.

Nile Perch sales in Asian and Western European markets have in past few years gradually reduced as more price sensitive consumers opted for Pangasius, a cheaper alternative source of white meat.

Analysis with the Food and Agriculture Organization {FAO} SAID Nile Perch exports from Lake Victoria could rise sharply this ear following shortages of the rival species after massive floods in the main producing Vietnam contaminated ponds.

“Drop in demand doe Pangasius and the increase in the value of marketing of certified Nile Perch in the EU {European Union}, could give extra boost to the fishery products coming from Lake Victoria,” says the agencies I the market update report for the month of April, 2012.

The food in the third quarter of lat year saw nearly 70 per cent of all pangasius fish processing plants in Vietnam Mekong delta shut down due to contaminated fish ponds mainly in Dong Thup and An Ging provinces.

The effects of the damages on the Pangasius market are expected to spill over into much of this year, reviving the Lake Victoria Nile Perch industry whose fortunes have been rising with adoption of certification programme .

Kenya and other East African countries mainly rely on Lake Victoria to support Nile Perch industries even though the business has in the recent years come under pressure from dwindling supplies and weak prices in the international market.

FAO report says, Lake Victoria Nile Perch exports to the EU had began stabilizing due to improved quality standards. In this period, Tanzania was by far the biggest supplier for European countries with 12,300 tones, following by Uganda and Kenya,” the agency said.

Statistics showed that n the first quarter of lat year, the EU remained the main market for Nile Perch with 8,200 tones of fillets coming from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

In 2010, Kenya exported 3,600 tones of Nile Perch fillets to EU markets, while Tanzania sold 16,300 tones and Uganda 11,800 tones.

Apart from competing from Pangasius, the Lake Victoria Nile Perch industry has also suffered an image problem over poor fishing methods that deprived the lake of its potential resources.

Data by the Fisheries Department showed that the Nile Perch stock in Lake Victoria decline from 1.9 million tones to 1.2 million between 1999 and 2001 before dropping drastically to 544,000 tones in 2005.The stocks were estimated at 37o tones in 2008.

As part of efforts to stall dip in Lake Victoria catch, governments have formed beach management units to oversee sustainable exploitation of the fish resources.

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Kenya & Uganda: Fresh troubles erupted in the disputed Migigo Island in Lake Victoria between Kenyan and Ugandan authorities

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Sori/Karungu Bay

FRESH troubles have erupted on the volatile and disputed Migingo fishing island in Lake Victoria a Uganda marine police arrests and detains Kenyan fishermen.

The issue of the disputed rocky island has been the source of discontent and diplomatic thaw between the two partners states of the East African Community for close to eight years ever since the Ugandan authorities invaded the island and posed its revenue officers now collecting taxes from Kenyan fishermen in their own c0ountry. The Island according to 100 yer old colonial maps dawn in 1912 is virtually on the Kenyan side of the border.

Ugandan authorities are demanding that an assistant Chief posted to administer the island on behalf of the Kenya government be withdrawn immediately until such a time when the ownership issues are resolved.

Kenya has kept a contingent of Administration Policemen numbering about 30 on the tiny island. But they Kenyan policemen just sat down as the Ugandan authorities rounded the fishermen over the weekend and warned them not to fish on Ugandan territorial water.

Fishermen have told this reporter over the phone that on Monday morning three Kenyan fishermen were arrested by the Ugandan security personnel who accused them of trespassing into Ugandan waters.

The Ugandan authorities accused Kenyan fishermen for deliberately defying the orders and directive.

Three Kenyan fishermen were picked up by the officers on the disputed tiny fishing island as they returned from fishing expedition. Their boats and their engines intact and the catches were also confiscated.

The arrest of Kenya came barely three days after the Ugandan officers warned Kenyans against stepping into the Ugandan waters unless the Kenyan Assistant Chief recently deployed as an administrator on Migingo Island is removed.

The arrested Kenyans were then whisked away to the nearby Lolwe Island which is situated on the Ugandan side o the disputed waters of lake Victoria and b the time of filing this report, their fate remained unknown.

Armed Kenyan administration policemen on the island could only watch in disbelief as the sh90cked fishermen were bundled into a new speedboat brought in from Jinja town in Eastern Uganda.

Last Saturday, according to the chairman of Migingo Beach Management Unit Juma Omnboori, the Ugandan authorities rounded up all the Kenya fishermen operating on the island and told hem that from now onward they will not be allowed to fish on Ugandan waters.

A to Uganda policeman Agustino Choti told the Kenyan fishermen that a decision to ban Kenyans from he Ugandan water had been taken following of Kenya government having taken unilateral decision of posting an Assistant chef to Migingo while the negotiation to have the island ownership resolved was still in progress. As for now the waters around the island belonged no one, but Kenya should have been patient and wait for the matter to be resolved amicably by the two countries.

Consequently Uganda has sent more marine police and new patrol boats to the island, perhaps to ensure its order was completely enforced. Kenyan fishermen and fish traders operating on Migingop Island have since sent out an gent appeal to the government of Kenya to responds urgently and rescue them from further embarrassment.

“We are also surprised that our policemen who are supposed to protect us on this Island just sat down and watched as Kenyan businessmen and fishermen were being arrested and harassed”, said Juma Ombori.

The Saturday incident too pace while the area MP Edick Omondi Anyanga was a tor of his lakeside constituency, and he immediately appealed to the government of Kenya to expedite talks aimed at resolving the problems of Migingp Island. The legislator also appealed to the Ugandan policemen to treat Kenyans with a lot of respect and not to antagonize them.

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Deaths and injuries caused by unexploded World War 11 bombs left behind by British soldiers is a menace around Lake Victoria

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo.

SIXTY Seven years down the line ever since the Second World War Two ended in 1945 its effect and deaths are still being felt by resident of Suba region in Southern Nyanza.

Fishermen working along the shorelines of Lake Victoria have in the recent past fished out some the metal objects which some of the ignorantly took to their home a souvenirs, but which later turn out to be the most deadly and lethal explosives suspected to be part of unexploded bombs dumped in the lake waters and left behind by the British soldiers.

Towards the end of last year, an object fished out of the lake at Ngodhe Island , which is adjacent to Rusinga Island killed a fourteen year old teenager who touched the object.

Unexploded bombs dumped in the lake at the end of the Second World War 11 in 1945 have of late turned out to be the lethal weapons killing, maiming and injuring people stumbled onto them.

The recent series of bomb explosions cause by these unidentified metal objects fished out of the water have claimed lives of several people.

These series of incidents have forced the police chiefs in the region to issue stern warning to members of the public who tumbled on such objects to report to the police, who in turn would quickly summoned the experts to come and have them detonated.

The region’s police chief Cherono Gidhinji said on Monday that some people are keeping these bombs sin their homes as souvenir after fishing them out of the lake during their fishing expedition exposing their families to a great danger.

One man had ignorantly kept the bomb in his kitchen near fire.A number of people have sustained serious bodily injuries after the metals objects they picked along the shoreline of the like turned out to be explosives. The incident has been reported from other location bordering Lake Victoria and its suspected that the departing British soldiers might have dumped a lot of the explosives in the water.

Adult and children have been warned against picking any metal objects washed ashore either by fishermen or by waves as such objects could cause sudden death when they exploded.

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KENYA: THE COUNTY OF HOMA-BAY HAS MANY TOURIST DESTINATIONS AND ATTRACTIVE SCENERY WHICH COULD TURN THE REGION INTO THE RICHEST WHEN FULLY DEVELOPED

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A Special Feature By Leo Odera Omolo In Homa-Bay Town
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HOME-BAY County one of the newly created 47 counties under the new constitutional dispensation is promising to offer a lot for the future of the residents along the eastern shoreline of Lake Victoria
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The County’s shoreline in Lake Victoria is covering close to a distant of approximately 28o kilometers. It starts at Nyakwera on the Nyakach-North Rachuonyo districts borders and winds up at Lakinyiero in the Southwestern border of Suba South district with Nyatike district in Migori County.

There close to twenty small fishing islands on the Kenyan side of the lake and some of them are potential as tourist’s destinations.

The County is also full of pre-historic sites which could be developed as potential tourist attractions if the next county governance could do its home work and if possible succeed in luring both foreign and local investors to come and developed tourist class hotels, lodges and beach resort facilities.

The region is also potential destination for bird watchers, but above, the Suba region could provide close to 60 per cent of the County annual income accrued from fish, and fish trade, tourism, hotels, lodges and beach resorts, though these could be achieved on self-help development schemes, but it would also require a lot of input from possible foreign sources and massive investments.

Already local inputs are evidence in places like Mbita Town, where several beach resorts of the tourist class have sprung up in the recent past, more efforts is still required to crown it all. The proprietors of the beach resorts also need more capitals to invest in extra curriculum activates such as boat racing, skiing ensure that their facilities are well equipped with speed boats to ferry the tourists around the lake on von voyage trips to the nearby pre-historic sites and birds watching trips.

A local resident who is a candidate vying for the lucrative and powerful position of the county governor Dr. Mark Matunga recently made a moderate estimation that Suba region alone could rake in close to 70 per cent of the County annual revenue.

Dr Matunga cited the recent restocking of the Ruma National Game Park in Lambwe Valley with new species of wild animals such as zebras black and white rhinos, giraffe, improved fishing facilities and fish trades and other facilities.

In the recent past, Homa-Bay County has witnessed the construction of new tarmac roads like the Kendu-Bay-Homa-Bay and Homa-Bay Mbita roads as some of the component of e important development of the infrastructure taking place.

The region, especially the Suba region is well served with the Ndori –Luanda Kotieno ro which winds u at the Mbita Ferries, which is plying the narrow Nyanza Gulf between Luanda Kotieno on the Rarieda side of the lake to Mbita Town.

The private firm that owns and manages the Mbita Ferries has recently introduced new and the largest ferries that can carry up to 30 motor vehicles plus close to 200 passengers at a go in one trip. This is a tremendous improvement and would provide the travelling passengers with quick accesses in crossing the narrow channel. The ferry service is expected to improve economic activities in the Suba region as it will facilitate quick travelling to businessmen and traders visiting major wholesale and distribution shops in Kisumu City.

The private firm that runs and manages he Mbita Ferries is reported to have already initiated a tentative plans it envisaged to launch a new ferry service between Mbita and Mfangano Island in the near future, It will also be ferrying both passengers and vehicles aboard that could be used by visitors on while touring around the important sites and scenarios on Mfangano Island where all weather roads have already been constructed.

The construction of roads on Mfangano Island came about as a personal initiative of Dr.Matunga, who is a native of the Island who also single handed initiated the massive electrification. He single-handed secure a powerful diesel fired engine ,which has now brought the hitherto sleeping and backward Island into limelight of brightest lights through the power supplies to schools and other important institutions as well a to the individuals homes.

There are close to twenty small fishing islands on the Kenyan side of the lake, some which could be developed as the tourist destination, and could make the country compete with other tourist destination regions like Seychelles Islands, Mauritius and even South Africa. Notable islands which are suitable for the establishment of beach resorts and lodges include Takawiri, Ngodhe, Kiwa, Remba,Ringiti.

Another potential Island is the famous “Soklo Kipenji or Soklo Kibanga” which is close to a number of important fish landing beaches around Usawo on the mainland. Next to “Soklo Kipenji” is the Sukri, which is much close to Homa-Bay town on the mainland. Sukri ha fertile an which is arable and has so many inhabitants living on it, though most of the spent their day time doing or tending to their businesses in Homa-Bay Town and only retires to the island at the fall of the night using motor boats and home made canoes.

“Soklo Kipenji” is full of myths in folklore tales of the past. For many years, the locals held firm believes that it was a place where there is a hidden powerful and invisible devilish being from other planet. Fishermen dared not land their fishing boats on “Soklo Kipenji” and travelers plying the nearby lake waters on their r way to Mbita Point from Homa-Bay pier were always forewarned not to ask any question.

It has never been inhabited nor frequented by the locals, and it was said that even the fish eagles never landed their catches on its rocks, and that ever crocodiles, lizards and monitors stayed away fro the tiny island. Unconfirmed reports says that two White European explores who defiantly ignored the advice of the locals not to visit the Island in 1922, shortly immediately after the end of the first World War, and attempted to land – – their boat mysteriously disappeared never to be traced to date. And that is how this Island earned its name.

However, following human settlement pressure in the nearby Lambwe Valley forest, Baboon, Monkeys and even hyena have of late took refuge on this island. It has been deprived of its natural trees by charcoal burners and women in search of fire wood, leaving only sky pointing sharp rocks with no vegetation to protect its soil.

Ake Simbi Nyaima, the volcanic lake, which is situated in Central Karachuoyo Location in Rachuonyo North district as well as birds sanctuary near Oyugis, are some of the potential areas worth development, if at the Central Government is keen in resuscitating its forty five year old Western Kenya Tourist circuit, which has remained in the drawing board ever since it was initiated and launched by the then Minister for Tourism and Wildlife S.O. Ayodo in 1967.

Homa-Bay County is also rich in minerals, especially gold, which are said to be in abundance around Wire Hill near Oyugis, and at the old Awuoro mine about six kilometers south east of Oyugis Town and near Mithui Secondary school Kokal area.

The now closed down gold mine which is only a few meters away from Ruga Market on he right side of the Oyugis-Kisii road thrived in the 1930s and early 1940s, but he foreign investors, mainly South Africa Bower and Australian miners close them own following pressure mounted by the black nationalist during the struggle for political independence. The gold deposits were never exhausted.

Red ochre could also be mined on the slope of the Hill facing Mithui ,which are so good for home floor colors, and next to the scene on the Oyugis Gamba Market {Rioma road] one come direct to the old caves where people used to take cover from their invading enemies during the old days.The caves are now being used as pilgrimage site by religious people.

The crocodile shaped rock on to of a hill in Kauma Kwadhigone area of Karachuonyo could be another potential center of tourist attractions of attraction, especially to those visitors wished to see the wonders of the world.

A tourist class hotel is already in place put up by he Germans near Kowu9or Pier,{formerly Homa-Lime area} which adequate facilities for any class of visitors, VIP included. Another decent hotel facility is the tausi hotel, located within Rodi Kopany Market, which serves as the junction of Homa-Bay Rongo and Ndhiwa Rangwe roads. And a few kilometers way is the latest Ndhiwa Resort, which is established in Ndhiwa Town and the brain child of the area MP Joshua Orwa Ojode. The road from Rodi Kopany to Ndhiwa has been modernized and the work is progressing well via Aora Chuodho, where the Massoulin of the world record breaker polygamist of all time the late Ansentus Akuku Ogwela, commonly known as Akuku Denja is buried. In his life the danger man is believed to have married more than 100 wives, though at his death there were only 39 of them were still living in his three homesteads which are well spread from Central Kanyamwa, Kwabwayi and Karungu Locations. He had more than 209 children.

Branchi off at Mirogi Trading Center, the visitor has only eleven kilometer
drive into the main gate of the Ruma National Game Park in Lambwe Valley. Next to the park is he pre-historic” Kor Lang’o”, the now defunct main road believed to have been used by the Massais people while taking their herds of cattle for water I Lake Victoria centuries ago.

the KWS headquarters for Ruma National Game Reserves one can drive via Kanyamwa escarpment and link up with the main Homa-Bay –Mbita road at Ogongo or drive to Homa-Bay town only 23 kilometers away from the Forest main gate. Inside the Game Park there is a lodge with all facilities which offer social amenities to the visitors wishing to stay overnight.

Branching off at Mirogi Trading Centre is only eleven kilometers drive to the Lambwe Valley is being maintained by the KWS. Homa-Bay Tourist Hotel could be the next destination for the visitors while other could pt up at the Hippo Garden Hotel also located in Homa-Bay town. There are small and medium class hotels offering accommodation in town. But now that Homa-Bay Town has been chosen as the regional administrative headquarters for the
Homa-Bay County more enterprising hotels are expected to sprung up.

The lakeside town which hitherto was a sleeping town is expected to be the hub of business activities in the region due to its proximity to land and water transport system to other destinations in the region. Both foreign and local entrepreneur are welcome to invest in a five star or lesser graded hotels in order to tap the revenue expected to flow in from the tourist and other visitors to the region.

The resuscitation o Homa-Bay town will, however, depends on the good governance and proper planning by the County governance. But given the fact that all major roads leading to the ton have been constructed and the other on modernized.

A large deposits of lime and cement tones were recently discovered around Ruri Hills and the new Homa-Bay County will have to go out flat looking for the potential investors into the a Cement factory.
The town is now looking rejuvenated and no longer the dusty place of the past .This has been done head of the inauguration of the new County Offices, which will be immediately soon after the next general election, perhaps next year.

Moving further west, visitors will be able to see the famous pre-historic site of the famous Nyamgondho Wuod Ombare shrine at the shore of Lake Victoria not far away from Nyandiwa Beach Trading Center.

The government has already signed a new contract with the Chinese road construction firm to have the Mbita-Sindo-Magunga road, which is expected to link up with another highway from Ndhiwa ro Sori .Town in Nyatike district. This give unlimited access to tourists and visitors an easy driver along the lake with the possible branching off to areas like Kisegi and Nyandiwa chi is a fast growing beach town.

Former Gwassi MP Zadock Syong’o whose birthplace is at Kisegi had secured the power supplies to most schools and market places in Gwassi. Next to Nyandwa is the beautiful Kiwa Island which has a population estimated to be slightly over 500 people complete with their domesticated animals. The new road will traverse via Sindo,Nyabera, and pass through the Ruma National game Park to Magunga, pss through the junction of Tonga Secondary School via God Bura to Kokomo and Kiabuya junction and then to Laknyiero from where it will link up with Sori Town.

Plans has already been envisaged to have this road constructed via the vast Kadem up to Muhuru-Bay near the Kenya Tanzania border. This plan was recently disclosed by the Prime Minister Raila Odinga when he addressed a mammoth crowd at Kaswanga in Rusinga West Location, Rusinga Island during the burial of the former Kenya’s Permanent representative to the UN the late Michael Okeyo.

Mfangano Island is another place which is full of pre-historic sites, and yawning or the development of more tourist class hotels. On top of Soklo plateau, there are several sources of mineral waters, which could be bottled

The same could be said of the twin island of Rusinga. Here a few hundred meter of Wanyama fish landing beach there laying deep in the water two oxen looking like stones. The stones according to the local folklore were the remnants of two full grown up bulls which belonged to two cousins called Mnyama and Ware. The stones are called Nyama gi Ware signifying to the two sub-clansof Wanyama and Waware, and the saying goes that the two bull had fought the fiercest battle until they landed in the water where they turned into permanent stones. These are just mythology tales. However, the area is potential for the development of good beach resort hotel of tourist class.

A;ready there in place a tourist lass hotel at Kamasengre next to the airstrip and not far away from the buralk place of one of the uncompromising champion of freedom fighter/architect of Kenya’ independence and charismatic politician the late Tom Mboya, the former Minter for Economic Planning and Development in the post-independence cabinet who was assassinated in a Nairobi street in 1969.

Some, medium class hotels are already in place in Mbita Town, which included Mbita Beach Resort, ICIPE Guest House, Rusinga Holiday Inn, and others currently catering for visitors, but more facilities including speed boats for sporting are still required for the region to be able to reap the fruit of the expected influx of tourists into the region in the near future.

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Kenya: Nyanza police received a new speed boat for patrol on Lake Victoria against pirates and other criminal elements

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo.

Police in Nyanza have received speed boat which will be used in their regular patrol of the Kenyan side of Lake Victoria.

The new and modern speed boat christened “MV Utawala”was handed over to the Administration Police at the Kisumu Pier on Tuesday by the Nyanza P.C Francis Mutie in a ceremony which was also attended by the Provincial Police Officer {PPO}Njue Njagi, the Provincial CID boss Joseph Magwanja, the Central Nyanza Regional Commissioner Arthur Osea an the regional head of the Administration Police {AP} Francis Kirathi.

Fishermen operating in Lake Victoria reacted with joy and enthusiasm an thanked the government for having take into account the safety of it citizens who in the recent past were subjected to all sorts of criminally motivated attacks and piracy by heavily armed foreigners from the neighboring countries.

The pirates have been attacking fishermen inside Kenya, especially in all parliamentary constituencies neighboring the shoreline of Lake Victoria stretching from Port Victoria in Budalangi, Alego Usonga, Bondo, Mbita, Gwassi and Nyatike.

In such attacks the petty traders operating retailing shops and kiosk have not been spared, but the fishermen are reported to have incurred heavy loses both in fishing gear, money and catches running into million of shillings.

Speaking during the handing over ceremony Nyanza P.C. Mutia said the boat will be used to patrol Lake Victoria.

He said the patrol boat will be used to reduce rising cases of insecurity in the Lake. He warned those involved in illegal businesses in the lake and called on fishermen to co-operate with the security personnel in order to boost security.

The PC pointed out that the new vessel will patrol the Kenyan side of the lake and provides security for fishermen.

“We want our fishermen to carry their businesses freely without fear of arrest forces from neighboring countries.”

The Administrator took issue with the rampant cases of harassment on Kenyan fishermen at the disputed Islands of Migingo and Ugingo.”The government, he added, is committed towards ensuring security to all its citizens. That is he said.

Mutie disclosed that the vessel will intensify patrols around Lake Victoria to curb rampant criminal activities along the usually crowded fishing landing beaches.

Reacting to the arrival of the ultra modern patrol boat, Juma Ombori, the chairman of Migingo Beach Management Unit said the move was most welcome and asked the Kenyan police to ensure they use the vessel to protect Kenyan fishermen.

Ombori said fishermen have in the recent past been arrested by Ugandan security forces for no good reason.”We want our police to ensure they protect our fishermen from unnecessary arbitrary arrests and harassment by the Ugandan forces,”

Another personality who praised the government for having considered its citizens operating in the Lake sympathetically is the chairman of Suba Council of Elders Mzee Apollo Okeyo Omuga of Rusinga Island.

He said fishermen and fish traders working in Lake Victoria in areas neighboring Suba region, covering then twin iusland of Rusinga and Mfangano an small fishing island have been subject to incessant attack by both pirates and security forces from the neighboring countries. They have lost fishing gears such as fishnets, fish, money boat and highly valued boat engines.

The economy of the residents of the Lake region, particularly in areas like Mbita, Suba and Nyatike depend on fishing and fish trades, but in recent years the areas have been prone to well orchestrated night and even daylight attacks by pirates from neighboring countries.

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Kenya & Uganda: Kenyan MPS want their government to declare Uganda as a hostile and unfriendly neighbor

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

On Tuesday this week an interesting debate took place inside Kenyan Parliament where several MPs stood up in a flurry of supplementary questions demanded that the government should declare Uganda under President Yoweri Museveni as unfriendly, but be categorized as a hostile neighbor.

The issue came up during questions time in the House when MPS who rose to ask supplementary questions demanded for a permanent and long term solution to constant harassment of Kenyan citizens.

MPS John Mbadi {Gwassi}. Rachel Chebesh {Nominated} and Mohammed Afrey {Dujis} refused to accept an assurance given by Foreign Affairs Assistant Minister Richard Onyonka that Uganda has been behaving as a friendly country.

The Kenyan MPS questioned why Uganda has been arresting Kenyan frequently and then releasing them without preferring any criminal charges against them.

The matter came up when Afrey demanded to know the status of two MSF Switzerland Kenyan employees, Musa Hassan and John Lodong who were recently arrested by Uganda and detained on June 30, 2011 on suspicion of being Al-Shabaab Islamist terrorist group were later released without being charged in a court of law.

The Kenyan government, they MPS insisted has been too apologetic on Uganda however much unfriendly it has been to “our people.” Rather than side with the people, the government is always siding with Uganda,”

Onyonka, however, said the two Kenyans were released on police bond and charges were later dropped after investigations revealed that they had committed no crime.

The Minister insisted that it was a friendly country and that it had committed itself to observe the rule of law in dealing with Kenyans.

Asked how many Kenyans were currently in the custody of Ugandan authorities, the Minister said there are no records available to show that.

The Minister reminded the MPS how it is important for Kenya to maintain friendly relations Uganda, which its biggest trading partner and a neighbor.

“It is always a fact that it is Uganda which s harassing us” What are he long term solution to this happenings? This is because the issue of friendliness is an excuse.

They are very unfriendly,” shouted John Mbadi the Gwassi MPs whose constituents have been going under the harrowing experience with Ugandan authorities. Gwassi constituency which is among the several parliamentary constituencies in which are neighboring Uganda through Lake Victoria.

A week hardly passed without a reported incident whereby Uganda police ha seized fishermen in Lake Victoria long the Gwassi constituency shorelines.

The other constituency whose proximity to the borderline in Lake Victoria I Nyatike whose abrasive MP Edick Omondi Anyanga has quite often pleaded with the government for protection against arbitrary arrests of its constituents by Ugandan authority/A week a go three Kenyans fishermen spent a couple of days In Uganda after they were seized while fishing around the hotly disputed Migingo Island.

The men spent a couple of days in the custody of Ugandan police, but as they being release to go home, the Uganda marine police on the patrol around Migingo and Ugingo Island has seized another bunch of Kenya fishermen who they accused of trespassing into their territorial waters. In such incidents Kenyan fishermen loses their fishing gears including nets and boats as we as their catches.

“We are getting irritated especially those of us who represented the border areas,”shouted John Mbadi.

But the Minister insisted that only through diplomatic channels a lasting solution could be found.

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KENYA: ENG. MBOYA NYAMUTHE JOINS THE RACE FOR THE ELECTION BATTLE FOR RANGWE PARLIAMENTARY SEAT IN 2012.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

The Rangwe Parliamentary seat has attracted yet another high profile aspirant with the vision to turn around the otherwise sleeping rural electoral constituency.

Rangwe constituency is located with the Homa-Bay district in Homa-Bay county and the new entrant into the race Eng.Joseph Mboya Nyamuthe, a youthful business tycoon with the highest profile is expected to give the other aspirants the run for their money.

PHOTO OF ENG. JOSEPH MBOYA NYAMUTHE.

Already the 41 year Uganda and Cameroun educated civil engineer has already established a plant that is processing sweet potatoes at Ndiru in Kagan Location, and he is the process of establishing a cassava processing factory in Gem Location within Rangwe constituency. All these plants meant automatic creation of jobs for the youths.

Nyamuthe is the son of a prominent former journalist the late Peter Nyamuthe who worked with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in different capacities for many years. He hail from Central Gem .

Born in 1970, Nyamuthe took his early education in Nairobi before moving o the neighboring Uganda where h completed his “A” level studies and move on to Younde Cameroun where studied civil engineering course.

He has since established his own engineering firm called Global RTE Kenya Ltd and another business flagship called JB Construction Ltd, all located in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

The incumbent Rangwe MP is Martin Otieno Ogindo who has since switched himself from defending his seat in Parliament and declared that he would contest for the position of the Homa-Bay County governor,

Nyamuthe said his vision is to turn the agriculturally rich constituency into a bastion of food grains as part of the concerted effort to support the government food security program.”We are going to explore every part of the constituency sample the soil and find out which crops if suitable for which place.

“Cotton is one of the greatest assets in the area, though it production has been dwindling for some years now.” Said Nyamuthe.

Other food crops which could be turned into money minting crops include sweet potatoes, pineapples, groundnut, cassava, maize and sorghum which is said to be popular with breweries companies as well as those firm which are distilling ethanol for fuel.

The constituency has the shortest shoreline in Lake Victoria, but fishing and fish trade is thriving and he would encourage those trade as well as promoting tourism to the pre-historic sites, and also to the nearby Ruma National Game Park, which is, though, administratively in Mbita district, and is located only 23 kilometers from Homa-Bay Town.

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Kenya: Fishermen blame the government for insecurity in Lake Victoria and the emergence of pirates from foreign countries

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Luanda Kotieno Beach.

LACK logistics to support the effective security patrol of the Kenya side of Lake Victoria are some of the impediment to development and major source of insecurity giving leeway to foreign pirates to cross at will and antagonize Kenyan fishermen.

In the entire shoreline of Lake Victoria from Nyadorra in Alego-Usonga to Muhuru Bay In Nyatike district the Kenya police at the various station along the lake shore have got no speedy-boats with which they could respond effectively to any distress signal fro the fishermen.

Contrary to what is happening in Kenya, the neighboring countries of Tanzania and Uganda have equipped their security personnel patrolling their side of the lake with sophisticated equipment, speed-boats and round the clock state of alertness.

The Siaya, Bondo, Rachuonyo North, Homa-Bay, Mbita, Gwassi and Nyatike police bosses have no speed boats. They do respond to distress signals from fishermen and other users of the lake, but at times their responses are hampered by lack of fuels.

The whole of last Mbita district, one of the key frontier districts, remained without a District Commissioner for five good months. There were also no District Officer One, District Officer in-Charge of Mfangano Division and one for Lambwe Valley.

It became so pathetic that a few civil servants working in the various department including departmental heads took the advantage of the situation and went into prolonged holidays.

Several government officials whose homes are in Kisii region resorted to sourcing fuel and other essential supplies from their kith and kin in Kisii. An officer would drive all the way from Mbita Point Town to Kisii town in search of fuel supplies, and yet such supplies were available within Mbit, nearby Homa-Bay Town, Rongo or Ndhiwa for that matter.

But the situation has changed tremendously following the arrival of the new Mbita District Commissioner, Vincent Magoha, {formerly D.C.Nyando}. He had to cope u with the pathetic situation where no civil servant were performing their duties as demanded by their letters of appointment and regulations.

The D.C. actions, in an all out effort to put the running of the administration in the district back in order, sparked off falsified claims that the new DC was using draconian administrative policy. But Magoha told this writer that things were so bad that some civil servants would only show their faces in their offices on Monday, but disappeared immediately even before Thursday of the week only to reappeared the following Tuesdays. Most of the officers seemed to ha taken scotch-men’s leave and abandoned their paces of work for their juniors.

Reports emerging from Remba and Ringiti Islands, which are situated inside Kenyan side of the lake, say foreign smugglers are ferrying thousands of liters of fuel. The fuel is brought in several twenty liters plastic containers and sold not only to Kenyan fishermen, but also finding its way to the Kenyan mainland. Also commonly ferried are the illicit drugs such as bhang and counterfeit goods.

The government of Kenya seemed to have abandoned their citizen, especially the fishermen and those involved in fish trade. Weeks hardly pass without reports of prates from foreign countries having seized fishing boats belonging to Kenyan fishermen. Security personnel on the Kenyan side have no means of responding to distress signal by fishermen due to lack of logistics such as speedy-boats and adequate number of security personnel.

The Mbita D.C. disclosed that with effect from July firsts this year, the government issued a stern directives that all the lake sailing vessels be it a native canoe,.a boat with an outboard engine, motor-boats and even ferries must equip their vessels with life jackets. The life jackets must be displayed openly for the travelling passengers to see before they sailed into the lake. “We are trying to avoid any future disaster as it ha happened elsewhere in the East African coastline and even in some places in Lake Victoria,” said the D.C.

But some wealthy and influential businessmen and traders are flagrantly defying this directive and still visibly ferrying passengers in the lake waters without life jackets. No Sooner than later we will be forced to swing into action in order to have the situation rectified, he added.

The DC was reacting on reports appearing in a section of DAILIES that pirates are rampant, attacking fishermen inside Kenyan waters as far as Bondo and Rarieda district, which are so close to the mainland Kenya. The pirates apart from seizing fishing gears and also confiscating the fishermen catches, under the pretext that they {Kenyan fishermen were fishing in their territorial waters.

The fishermen want the government to equip every police station with security boats with which security personnel could use while patrolling the like. They want the government to give them the maximum security like any other taxpayers.

“Fishermen play a very pivotal role in the economy of this country and as such need protection like any other business people.”We are losing fishing gear worth millions of shilling to the pirates,” said a fisherman in Mbita who requested for his anonymity.

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Kenya & Uganda: Tension remained high on the disputed Migingo Island despite assurances by both Kenya and Uganda authorities that the issue will be resolved soon.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Sori-Karungu Bay.

Tension has eased out on Migingo and the twin islands of Ugingo in Lake Victoria following the announcement by in both Nairobi and Kampala that top security chiefs are scheduled to me in the Uganda capital on Monday to discuss security matters.

A contingent of Kenyan administration policemen landed on Migingo last Monday raising tension as it appeared that he move caught heir Ugandan counterparts unaware or their impending arrival or it was a case of total breakdown in communication between the Ugandan marine policemen who have been manning the island ever since 2004 and their bosses in Kampala.

Unconfirmed reports says some of the Ugandan policemen on seeing their Kenyan counterparts motor boat approaching the island had cocked heir guns in readiness to open for ,but were reportedly restrained by seniors.

After surveying Migingo, the Kenyan security personnel fond the island too congested and could no find enough space to erect tents. They moved on Ugingo Island which is only 100 meters away and pinched their tents.

It is also untrue that Kenyan policemen were frisked of their firearms and disarmed by Ugandan counterparts as was reported by a section of the press. The two groups did not come into direct contact and therefore no confrontation of any sorts took place.

It was the question of accommodation for the Kenyan policemen on he densely populated Migingo that forced them to set their camp at the nearby Ugingo, which is situated only 100 meters away, with enough space for accommodation for 40 or more Kenyans.

On Thursday news came over various FM vernacular stations that the Kenyan Police Commissioner Matthews Iteere will travel to the Uganda capital, Kampala where he will meet his counter part Maj-Generl Sale Kayhihura to discuss and fine tune f the logistics of joint patrolling work by the two sides.

The deployment of Kenyan security personnel o the disputed island was among he resolution passed at a special committee meeting held in Nairobi last month which was attended by Kenyan and Ugandan Ministers.

Kenyan fishermen and traders living on the island said the move was most welcome. They praised President Kibaki and his Ugandan counterpart President Yoweri Museveni and urged the two to find a quick solution so that tension between the two countries could be fizzled out.

Nyatike MP Edick Omondi Anyanga told this writer the patience of his people was running out. The two countries should work out the mode of taxation and levies paid by fishermen and those involved in fish trade. The two governments must agree on as to who should receive taxes and levies on fish catches currently enjoyed by Uganda.

Nyatike constituency has the largest shoreline stretching from Lak-Nyiero on the border of Nyatike and Gwassi districts through Sori to Luanda, Ndiwa, Angugo on to Muhuru-Bay on the border of Kenya and Tanzania. It is a distance of about 50 kilometers. Most of the Kenyan fishermen living on Migingo hail from Nyatike and the area legislator has a strong belief that a last solution would be found.

The fishermen, however, have expressed fears that Uganda appeared to be content on holding on the twin islands for their economic viability.

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Kenya: Country Sends Security Team to Migingo

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Folks,

This is one of the best news I have heard from Kenya over a long long period of time…Yes, my heart will rejoice, ……..Blessed are the poor, for the Kingdom of God is theirs……!!!

Cheers people…….God loves you all the times ……!……..God will never forsake you or turn his back against you……..He hears and answers your Prayers and cries……..

Lets keep the good fight with Faith and hope high for fair deal for common good of all….. all will be well in shared benefit with earned trust…….very important for a country to prosper……

Security was long overdue…May God continue to break the york and burden of sufferings and Bless you more in abudantly…….!

Once again, Cheers…..!!!

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

– – – – – – – – – – –

Kenya: Country Sends Security Team to Migingo
Elisha Otieno
15 August 2011

Kenya finally moved on Monday to co-manage the disputed Migingo Island in Lake Victoria.

The country sent a team of about 40 armed security officers to guard the island alongside the Ugandan marine police.

This is the first time Kenya has taken such action since the ownership row broke out in 2004.

Kenya’s national flag will also fly on the island for the first time in the history of Migingo.

The move was part of a resolution by a joint ministerial committee that comprised Kenyan and Ugandan ministers.

The Kenyan team was represented by Internal Security Minister George Saitoti and Lands Minister James Orengo, among others, at a meeting held in Nairobi recently.

The team agreed to complete the stalled survey of the island in a bid to locate its boundary but in the meantime security forces from both countries are guarding the fish-rich island.

Nyatike district commissioner Alan Machari, who received the Kenyan officers en route to Migingo, said they had finalised arrangements for their accommodation on the rocky island.

“The officers drawn from both the regular and Administration police units have been trained on marine operations and are expected to stay there until the ownership row is sorted out by the higher authorities,” he said.

Although Uganda has only about 30 uniformed and plainclothes officers on the island who work in shifts, the Kenyan team is bigger in terms of numbers and equipment.

“As is the tradition, our flag will be hoisted in the camp where the officers will be staying and they will work with the Ugandan security forces,” the DC added.

Nyatike MP Edick Anyanga, who has been vocal on the need to send Kenyan officers, said the government had finally responded to the cries of Kenyan fishermen and traders who have been facing harassment from the neighbouring country’s security officers.

“What now remains is work by the survey team to resolve the row once and for all,” he said.

Business Daily (Nairobi)

Kenya: Mining Sector Marks a Year Without Chief
Muna Wahome
16 August 2011

Kenya has been issuing major mining concessions even as it marks a year without a substantive commissioner of mines and geology tomorrow.

Dr Bernard Rop was suspended over the controversy surrounding the push for mining licensing by Criss Cross Mining Ltd. He confirmed his sacking and plans to go to court over the matter.

At the same time, a cloud hangs over the acting commissioner of mines, Mr Moses Masibo, because the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (Kacc) has recommended he be charged with abuse of office together with the Environment PS, Mr Ali Mohammed.

The file on the matter was last month returned to the Kenya Anti-Corruption Authority (Kacc) for further investigation.

Among the recently issued permits was a commercial licence for Kilimapesa in Transmara District said to have the potential of yielding gold worth billions of shillings. Mr Masibo told the Business Daily the firm would soon bring in machinery for the job. Also in the works is mining of titanium in Kwale after the study was concluded.

Trouble at the ministry started late last year culminating in suspension of Dr Rop and subsequent licensing of Criss Cross’ application for prospecting in iron ore and manganese in Mutomo, Samburu and Kilifi.

The three applications were approved on September 3, 2010 but have since been revoked –after what Mr Masibo said was consultation with Kacc.

“We have been co-operating with Kacc and their intervention indeed came within the 30 days window granted for public scrutiny,” said Mr Masibo.

He has been acting since August 17, 2010.

Criss Cross had sought approvals despite what Dr Rop said at the time was information that its two directors were initially part of Merchant Mining Ltd that applied for same areas. The latter used a city law firm to protest against the application, leading to the suspension by Dr Rop.

Special permits

A meeting of the Prospecting and Mining Licensing Committee went ahead and included the firm in the discussion on whether to license or not. The licences included an exclusive prospecting licence and two special permits.

Kacc in its second quarter report on the allegations of “award of irregular concession/exploration licence to an unqualified company” cleared Justice PS Amina Mohamed–recently appointed deputy executive director of UNEP–of allegations of influencing approval of licensing.

Business Daily (Nairobi)

Kenya: Nation Eyes Billions in Gold Revenue From Narok Mines
Moses Michira
12 August 2011

Kenya will issue its first ever gold mining lease in October, opening the way for commercial exploitation of the precious metal whose price has peaked in recent weeks after turbulence rocked global financial markets.

Goldplat, one of the world’s biggest gold companies – which is also listed at the London Stock Exchange – will be awarded the lease to exploit the large gold deposits in the Lolgorien area of Narok County.

Public interrogation

The Commissioner of Mines, Mr Moses Masibo, told the Business Daily that the lease will be issued upon the expiry of the 90-days allowed for public interrogation. A notice of the planned issuance of the licence was published in June 2011.

“We will issue Goldplat a special mining lease in October as prescribed in the law to allow for commercial exploitation of gold at its Kilimapesa site to begin,” said Mr Masibo.

The three-month window is for the public to raise any objections to the firm’s activities in the specified location. “I do not anticipate any objection,” Mr Masibo said. “It is an exciting time for our economy to gain from the record prices.”

The value of gold from the Kilimapesa mines could top Sh60 billion a year in foreign currency at the prevailing prices or more if the surge in gold prices continues, placing the metal among the top revenue earners for Kenya.

The government will earn four per cent of the value of each export consignment in the form of royalties, in addition to corporate tax that is tied to the profits that Goldplat will make.

“The department will value each export consignment and grant an export licence, four per cent of which will be paid to the government as royalties,” said Mr Masibo. The law however leaves room for the Cabinet to change the applicable rate.

Last month, Goldplat chief executive Demetri Manolis told investors that the firm, which has been prospecting in Kenya for more than a decade, was headed for its first sale of the precious commodity.

“Completion of the elution plant at the Kilimapesa project in Kenya means we should be in a position to sell first product pretty soon – a milestone achievement,” said Mr Manolis. “With the Title Deed now issued, I am also pleased to report that we are now a short time away from being issued with the final Mining Lease that should trigger commencement of full production, with an initial target of 5,000oz (about 140 kg) of gold per annum.”

Issuance of the mining lease is expected to open Kenya to more applications, especially at this time when demand for gold is at an historic high.

Ali Mohammed, the Environment and Mineral Resources permanent secretary, said that quarterly reports submitted by prospecting firms point to even bigger gold deposits in Migori County compared to the Lolgorien area where the Kilimapesa project is situated.

He said the ministry was considering other applicants such as Red Rock Resources based at Macalder, Migori, for a commercial mining lease in the area that is largely dominated by artisanal miners.

“These deposits should enable us to export between two and 10 tonnes of gold every month after granting two commercial mining leases this year,” said Mr Mohammed, noting that acquisition of land titles was the most predominant issue for the applicants.

If Goldplat starts mining immediately, Kenya could benefit from the current windfall in the gold market where prices stand at Sh6 million a kilogramme.

The gold firm has brought in equipment to allow for the end-to-end processing of the precious metal in compliance with Kenya’s demands that the mineral be refined locally.

“My ministry is helping with the clearance of Goldplat’s refining equipment at the port of Mombasa,” Mr Mohammed said. The machinery should enable Kenya to export refined gold.

The ministry’s demands that only fully refined gold be exported was informed by the need to create employment locally and make valuation easy.

The deal could come in handy for the local currency, which has been under pressure in recent months depreciating to record lows of Sh95 against the dollar.

Last year, Kenya earned Sh6.2 billion from the sale of two tonnes of gold, three times higher than the year before, an indication of the how fast the commodity is gaining prominence as an export commodity.

Sharp increases in the price of gold since last year have heightened exploration activities in areas such Turkana, Samburu and Kitui, according to Mr Masibo.

The Environment Ministry is also preparing to issue commercial exploitation licences to firms prospecting for other minerals such as iron ore and manganese.

Gold traded in the global market on Thursday at a record Sh6 million per kilogramme ($1800 an ounce), more than 60 per cent and about 30 per cent higher than January 2010 and January 2011 respectively.

Concern over the Eurozone’s debt crisis coupled with Monday’s downgrade of the US credit ratings by Standard and Poors have spurred a rally in gold valuations as investors take off to safer instruments.

Commercial exploitation of gold offers Kenya a much needed fresh foreign exchange stream as depressed consumption of traditional exports threatens the country’s revenue base.

Mr Masibo said that the draft Mining Bill has outlined the revenue sharing arrangement between the national and county governments on an 80:20 basis to allow for the economy-wide reach of the proceeds.

Bigger concerns that cloud the prospects lie on how accurately Goldpalt, or any other lessee, would report their production to enable the government value the royalties.

Kenya to Award Mining Permit to Goldplat in October, Business Daily Says

By Eric Ombok – Aug 11, 2011 11:55 PM ET

Kenya plans to award its first ever gold-mining license in October to Goldplat Plc (GDP), Business Daily reported, citing Commissioner of Mines Moses Masibo.

The permit will allow the London-listed company to exploit gold deposits estimated to be worth 60 billion shillings ($642 million) a year in the Kilimapesa area of Narok County, south of the capital, Nairobi, the newspaper said. Kenya’s government will earn 4 percent of the value of gold exported, it said.

The license is being awarded in October to allow a 90-day period for members of the public to lodge any objections, the newspaper said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Eric Ombok in Nairobi at eombok@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Paul Richardson at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net

Kenya Invites Stanbic, Old Mutual to Help Boost Returns From Pension Fund

By Sarah McGregor – Aug 11, 2011 9:49 AM ET

Kenya’s National Social Security Fund, which has 110 billion shillings ($1.2 billion) in assets, said it signed up Stanbic Investment Management, Old Mutual Plc and four other companies to boost returns on investments.

The state-run pension company has also hired Genesis Investment Management, Co-op Trust Investment Services, PineBridge Investments and ICEA Asset Management, according to a statement handed to reporters today in the capital, Nairobi. Transactions will be handled by two custodians, Kenya Commercial Bank Ltd. (KNCB) and Standard Chartered Bank Ltd., it said.

The move will “guarantee the best return on investment,” Alex Kazongo, the fund’s managing trustee, told reporters today in Nairobi, saying the fund is aiming for profits that are 4 percentage points above the annual rate of inflation, which was 15.5 percent in July.

The managers have control over investments in stocks and government securities, which currently represent about two- thirds of the fund’s investments or as much as 65 billion shillings, Chairman Adan Mohamed said at the same event.

Real estate assets make up the balance of the fund’s investments and it will continue to manage those internally, Mohamed said.

Membership of the fund is compulsory for all employees in East Africa’s largest economy. The contribution for each member is 400 shillings a month, of which employers pay half. There were 2.1 million salaried workers in Kenya as of the end of last year, according to the country’s statistics office.

Kenya’s main stock index dropped 19 percent this year amid rising inflation that pushed investors toward fixed-income securities with better returns. Stocks are still a valuable, long-term investment for the fund, which is the biggest investor in the Nairobi Stock Exchange, Kazongo said.

“Ours is a long-term investment, so we’re not worried about the short term because we plan to be here for the next 1,000 years or more,” Kazongo said in an interview.

To contact the reporter on this story: Sarah McGregor in Nairobi at smcgregor5@bloomberg.net.

Kenya: NYATIKE residents enthusiastically received the news about Kenyan policemen having been deployed on Migingo Island

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Migori Town.

The news that a contingent of administration policemen has been dispatched to the disputed Migingo Island in Lake Victoria brought a sigh of joy and enthusiasm

The first bunch of policemen boarded a motor boat that ferried to the Migingo Island at Muhuru-Bay pier. The policemen were given a warm ending off by an enthusiastic crowd.

The Nyatike abrasive MP Edick Omondi Anyanga thanked the two principals in the coalition government President Mwai Kibaki and the Prime Minister Raila Odinga for the tireless effort to ensure the safety of Kenyans living, fishing and operating their business and trade on the two islands of Migingo and Ugingo, adding that the move was long over due. However late it is, the move is viewed by the local population as an assurance on the part of the government that it was genuinely concerned and cared for the welfare of its citizens who for close to four year have been subjected to slavery through the occupation of their country by foreign forces.

The MP said Migingo Island is not an important asset for the people of Nyatike alone, but the whole of Kenya taking into account that the area is now the major source fish catches in the lake. The fish in turn is fetching the country millions of shillings in foreign exchange.

The fishing industry, said the MP played a pivotal role in providing the youths with employment and has become an integral part of the nation’s economic growth and development. Uganda’s seizure of the two island and unilaterally posting their revenue and security personnel to man the two islands in Lake Victoria was an act of high provocation,” he added.

It was good news to the local residents that Kenyan security personnel will now be deployed to man the disputed islands jointly with their Ugandan counterparts. But the numbers of Kenyan policemen will supersedes those of their Ugandan counterparts whose strength has remained at 30 mainly marine policemen.

A team of security back will be stationed on the mainland at Muhuru Bay only a few kilometer from the Kenyan-Tanzanian border for rapid deployment in the eventuality of chaos erupting on any of the important islands, of Migingo and Ugingo have now turned out to be the key and fertile fishing ground on the lake with abundance fish catches.

This is part of the agreement reached in a recent meeting held last month in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi and attended by cabinet ministers from Kenya and Uganda.

Nyatike D.C.Allan Machari confirmed that the police officers were moving to the disputed island as part of the Nairobi agreement by the two sister states of Kenya and Uganda. The Kenyan officers, he said, will be there to ensure “our people are safe.

The D.C. however, declined to confirm the numbers of Kenyan policemen are deployed on Migingo, only saying that the Kenyan security personnel will be slightly more than their Ugandan counterparts and the two teams will work together until the survey work to determine the ownership of the island is complete and determined by the two governments.

Geographically, the two disputed islands are too close to the Kenya mainland in Nyatike district and from time immemorial, only Kenyan were fishing on Migingo and its environs, but only about four years when it was the recent discovery that the area is rich in fish, particularly the highly prized and economically important Nile perch is found there in abundance when it saw the great influx of Ugandans, Tanzanians, Somalis, Kikuyus,Kisiis and other groups arrived for the purpose of scrambling for fish.

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Kenya: Fears that many species of fish will be extinction in Lake Victoria by the year 2048

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

Fish stocks in Lake Victoria are being plundered at an alarming rate and it has been revealed by experts that by the year 2048 there would be a major loss of fish resources in the lake.

These were the views of the Co-coordinator of the African for the Construction Resolution of Dispute {ACCORD} Tanzania Donald Kasongi who called for urgent steps to be take to save the remaining fish species in the lake.

A recent study by Accord Tanzania that the economically prized Nile Perch stocks went down from 750,000 tones in 2005 to 337,000 tones in 2008,Tilapia stocks also dropped from 27,000 051 tones to 24,811 tones in 2010.

“There is increasing fish and environmental pollution in Lake Victoria. If it is not managed well, there will be over-fishing depletion of resources and loss of socio-economic benefits, ”said Kasongi.

The Lake Victoria Basin has an estimated population of slightly over 30 million, and under the East African Cooperation Treaty, the Lake Victoria basin has been categorized as an economic growth zone.

Available investment opportunities include agriculture and livestock, trade and commerce, fishing mining, wildlife and tourism. Others are hydropower generation, infrastructure development, human resources development, industries, research and technology.

Meanwhile Lake Victoria Basin Commission plans to establish a reliable rescue service to reduce the number of accidental deaths in the lake.

The rescue service is part of the USD 20 million meant for Maritime Commission for Safety on Lake Victoria project and will be established in collaboration with the East African Community member states of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.

“‘Despite numerous benefits like and income we are generating from Lake Victoria fishing, we are also losing around 5,000 people a year in marine accidents,” said the new Executive Secretary of the Lake Basin Commission Dr Christian Kanangire.

Abrupt change of weather, poor communication, unreliable rescue services, overloading and malfunctioning vessels are among, the reasons behind the increased.

Dr Kanangire said the project funded by the African Development Bank {AfDB}, will see the maritime rescue coordination centre put in place in the Lakeside City of Mwanza, Tanzania.

There will be 16 other centers across the Africa’s largest water marsh and mobile communication coverage will be extended up to 80 kilometers of fishing zones.

Dr Kanangire the Commission was in tentative talks with Turkish investors over investment in Lake Victoria marine transport.

The project is expected to improve security in the lake as well as provide affordable communications to communities living on the numerous fishing islands within the lake.

A pre-investment study has been concluded with the support from the AfDB and the International Telecommunication Union.

On pollution, the Executive Secretary expressed concern over the possible extinction of species fish due to industrial wastes. Studies indicate that pollution and environmental degradation have led to the extinction of more than 100 fish species in the past four decades.

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