Category Archives: Fishing

Africa Progress Report: Kofi Annan and other Panel Members to launch 2014 Africa Progress Report – Grain, Fish, Money

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From: News Release – African Press Organization (APO)
From: News Release – African Press Organization (APO)
PRESS RELEASE

Kofi Annan and other Panel Members to launch 2014 Africa Progress Report – Grain, Fish, Money

The Africa Progress Panel will release its annual Africa Progress Report at the World Economic Forum on Africa held in Abuja, Nigeria

ABUJA, Nigeria, April 29, 2014/ — On Thursday, May 8th 2014, the Africa Progress Panel (http://www.africaprogresspanel.org) will release its annual Africa Progress Report – Grain, Fish, Money – Financing Africa’s Green and Blue revolutions, at the World Economic Forum on Africa held in Abuja, Nigeria.

Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/app.png

Chaired by former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, last year’s report Equity in Extractives – Stewarding Africa’s Natural Resources for all, made headlines with its analysis of the oil, gas, and minerals industries in Africa.

This year’s report will argue that Africa can and must unleash green and blue revolutions in its agriculture and fisheries. It will highlight the opportunities for Africa of the world’s growing demand for food and the critical importance of agriculture and fisheries for two thirds of people in Africa engaged in these sectors. The report will also recommend related policies, including policies to scale-up Africa’s infrastructure and extend its financial services. The report will also outline the urgent need to stop the plunder of Africa’s timber and fisheries.

The following Panel Members and Members of the Secretariat will be attending WEF on Africa to outline findings shared in the report.

• Kofi Annan, Chair, Africa Progress Panel, and former UN Secretary-General

• Olusegun Obasanjo, Member, Africa Progress Panel, and former President of Nigeria

• Peter Eigen, Member, Africa Progress Panel, Founder of Transparency International, and Founding Chair and Special Representative of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)

• Bob Geldof, Member, Africa Progress Panel, Musician, Businessman, Founder and Chair of Band Aid, Live Aid and live8, Co-Founder of DATA and ONE Advisor and Advocate

• Caroline Kende-Robb, Executive Director, Africa Progress Panel

• Max Bankole Jarrett, Deputy Executive Director, Africa Progress Panel

Note to editor:

• Caroline Kende-Robb and Max Bankole will both be available for telephonic interviews from Tuesday 29 April until Friday 2 May, in build-up to WEF on Africa and the content expected to be shared during the official introduction of the 2014 report. There is limited interview slots available and email confirmation is required.

• Additional interviews with the panel outline above will be made available during WEF and can be arranged beforehand, again there are limited slots with each panel member and media will accommodated on a first come first served basis.

• The embargoed insights release and 2014 APP report will be sent out on Wednesday 7 May 2014.

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of the Africa Progress Panel (APP).

For further information, please contact:
Hill+Knowlton Strategies (d) +27 11 463 2198
Victoria Williams (m) +27 72 452 1772
Email: victoria.williams@hkstrategies.co.za

Geraldine Trennery (m) +27 82 677 5201
Email: geraldine.trennery@hkstrategies.co.za
www.africaprogresspanel.org
http://www.facebook.com/africaprogresspanel
@africaprogress

About the Africa Progress Panel

Chaired by Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations, the ten-member Africa Progress Panel (http://www.africaprogresspanel.org) advocates at the highest levels for equitable and sustainable development in Africa. The Panel releases its flagship publication, the Africa Progress Report, every year in May.

SOURCE
Africa Progress Panel (APP)

KENYA: HOW LAVEMP 2 HAVE CHANGED LIVES OF SIAYA FISHERMEN

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To: “jaluo@jaluo.com”

By Agwanda Saye

Residents and fishermen along Kamin Oningo Beach situated off Ndori-Luanda Kotieno Roard within Rarieda Sub County in Siaya County have something to rejoice about courtesy of Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project’s efforts to uplift living standards along the Lake Victoria shores.

To the fishermen long gone are the days when they were used to be marooned in the lake, incur post fishing harvest losses, use of ordinary boats for fishing and as well they don’t use natural fishing gears.

The beach which is run by a management unit headed by Tobias Ochieng’ Katete are thankful to LVEMP 2 for having granted them finance to have a safety motorized boat, fence their beach and improve the livelihoods of the residents within the beaches.

According to Katie , they presently collect harvested fish on time courtesy of the motorized safety boat as well as help in rescue missions in times of distress among the member fishermen within the Lake.

“The motorized safety boat does not only collects the fish from the boats in deep seas but also helps in transportation of the sick along the beaches and the islands as well as rescuing marooned fishermen in the Lake” Katete added.

He adds that previously there were incidences of boat capsizing and killing both passengers and fisher folk as a result of delayed rescue something which is a past now.

He further says that the motorized motor boat is usually on stand by for twenty fours and is ready to help in case of any lake accidents regardless of whether the victims are members or not but of course at subsidized fee which is going for the boats’ operational costs.

The said boat is also used in monitoring, control and surveillance of fisheries activities within the lake incase of any eventuality within the lake.

Katete adds that their objectives seems to have yielded fruits as fish yields have gone up by 50% as their statistics in November 2013 shows that they goat 2800 kg of Nile perch while in October the same year they could only harvest 2130kgs.

The fishermen further have something to cheer about as the Beach Management Unit has made it sure that they remit a certain percentage of their earnings to their savings as well as their safety is guaranteed within the lake as there is a mobile phone hotline’s number which they can use in any form of emergency.

“Our women and youths have not been left behind as we have youths sports and some small errands run by the youths and our women are contracted to ferrying the fish from the boats to our banda.

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A Short History Of Boko Haram

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From: Abdalah Hamis

By Cheta Nwanze

This morning, members of the Boko Haram movement attacked a DSS detention facility close to the seat of power in Abuja. Who is Boko Haram, and how did they come to be?

Nigeria has a long history of communal conflicts, many of which were only suppressed under military rule. Despite the heavy handed tactics of the dictators, some of these conflicts came to the fore, the best example being the Maitatsine conflict which was eventually wiped out in the early 1990s .

A lot of these conflicts and the groups that aid them found more freedom after the return to civilian rule.

One of these groups is Jama’atu Ahlus-Sunnah Lidda’Awati Wal Jihad, which became the Boko Haram sect. This group started in and around Maiduguri in the early part of the last decade. Starting out as a radical group at the Ndimi Mosque in Maiduguri about 2002, they saw society, particularly the government of Mala Kachalla as irredeemably corrupt. So, in the middle of 2002, the group, under its founder, Mohammed Ali, embarked on a hijra to Kanama in Yobe state.

In Islam, a hijra is a journey from the bad world to go and be closer to God. The Prophet undertook one, from Mecca to Medina. Usman dan Fodio also undertook his own hijra, to Gudu, when Yunfa wanted to kill him. This should give us some context.

Back to topic, and this period at Kanama, is probably where they had their first foreign contact. While there, more members joined, some of these new members, the kids of influential Northerners, such as the son of Yobe’s governor at the time, Bukar Abba Ibrahim. Bukar Abba Ibrahim is now a senator, and his son’s involvement meant that the group was in a typically Nigerian style, more or less immune from punishment.

Towards the end of 2003, the group had a communal clash with the Kanama community over fishing rights which led to police involvement. In the crisis which followed, they defeated the police, which in turn led to the Army getting involved, and the group was defeated, the founder, Mohammed Ali, was killed, and the group “scattered”, a few of the survivors, including a chap called Shekau, went north to training camps in the Sahara desert.

The other survivors of the Battle of Kanama returned to Maiduguri and reintegrated into the Ndimi Mosque, where they were now led by Mohammed Yusuf, who started the process of starting a new mosque without molestation. The land on which the new mosque was built was donated by Baba Fugu Mohammed, Mohammed Yusuf’s father-in-law. Baba Fugu Mohammed, was an influential, but moderate figure, who while never a full member, was to be murdered by the group. His crime, was attempting to negotiate with former President Obasanjo after things got out of hand.

Between this time (early 2004, and 2009), Boko Haram was largely left alone, and grew as a movement. In that time, they started a farm, provided employment for their members, provided welfare for those members who could not work, gave training to those who could, in short, they provided an alternative to the government of the day, and this very viability attracted more members, and a lot of zakat donations from prominent members of the Northern elite.

The only incident which brought them to prominence was in 2007, when Sheikh Ja’afar Mahmoud Adam was murdered. Ja’afar had started criticising them, and predicted that someday, because of their extremist ideologies, they would clash with the government. It is generally believed that Mohammed Yusuf ordered his murder

For another two years after the Ja’afar assassination, they were left largely alone, growing, and attracting more followers. Then, in February 2009, the government of Ali Modu Sheriff banned riding bikes without the use of helmets. This seemingly innocuous event, is what led to the meltdown.

Five months later in July, a prominent member of Boko Haram died, and a large number of them were on the way to bury him. They were stopped by the police who quizzed them about their lack of helmets as the new law dictated. An argument began, and in the process, shots got fired. People on both sides got injured and things went out of hand. Boko Haram attacked in Bauchi, Borno and Yobe states, killing several policemen. In Maiduguri, they took over town, and controlled it for three days, doing what they pleased, until the army was called in to help. Eventually, the army regained control, and arrested a lot of Boko Haram members, including Mohammed Yusuf.

However, when Mohammed Yusuf was handed over to the police, he died. According to the police, “while trying to escape”. Boko Haram on their part, say that he was murdered extra-judicially, in cold blood.To be frank, there is evidence that Mohammed Yusuf’s arrest and an eventual trial would have exposed some prominent people. One of the Boko Haram members killed in that time was a former Borno state commissioner, Buji Foi, who was shot in the back by policemen. The video is available online till this day. Asides Yusuf and Foi, a large number of people were also killed in cold blood by the police.

After this, Abubakar Shekau, who had returned to Nigeria in the time being and had become Mohammed Yusuf’s right hand man relocated to Northern Cameroon. Shekau decided that there could be no negotiations with such a government, and set about reorganising the group. He adapted the Al-Qaeda model, and broke the group into cells which are largely independent of each other.

This is currently Boko Haram’s structure; a cellular structure, and no centralised command, and seemingly no unity of purpose. This “lack of unity” makes them particularly difficult to negotiate with, as you cannot tell who exactly represents the group. When someone attempts to negotiate on behalf of the group, think Baba Fugu Mohammed, he is quickly hunted down and killed. So, as things stand, the extremist elements within Boko Haram are the ones fully in control of the narrative.

KENYA IS HOSTING AFRICAN FISHERIES STRATEGIES MEETING

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

A new partnership for African development (DEPAD) will this morning hold a two days meeting in Kenya, which is expected to finalize strategy aimed at improving returns for small scale players for the fishing industry across African Continent.

The meeting scheduled to be held in the Kenyan resort town of Naivasha about 100 kilometers from the capital Nairobi on today and tomorrow, is expected to agree on fisheries policy for Africa that will then be localized by individual countries on the continent.

The December 17 and 18 meeting aimed at incorporating the views of the small scale sector and fishing dependent communities and generate a shared vision on a Pan-African strategy to guide exploitation of a gigantic resources. The meeting brings together policy makers, government representatives and non-state outers from across the continent.

The strategy expected to boost the management the fishing industry that for long been neglected.

The meeting is expected to finalize the Pan-African strategy is critical for once approved by stakeholders at the second conference of African Ministers of Fisheries and Africa culture (CAMFA), scheduled to be held in February 2014.

The strategy is expected to boost the management of Fishing industry that has long been neglected, according to NEPAD and African Union Interactrican Bureau on Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) statement.

A recent United Nations Food and Agriculture (FAO) state of Fisheries and aquaculture report noted that many fisheries in Africa are characterized by weak management system and threatened by over-exploitation in situation has gradually worsened since 1974 eroding initial successes seen in fisheries projects and turning them to failures.

The meeting is part of the wider efforts following the comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Progarmme which was endorsed by the African Heads of State and Government in Maputo Mozambique in 2003 as a framework for Agriculture – economic development.

Despite the potential of the fishing Industry in Africa it has largely been sidelined in the National Development Plans of many African Countries and players still use old fishing methods giving them original returns and at the same time causing damage to the breeding grounds for fish.

The statement adds that the meeting will respond directly to the CAMEA resolution urging African member states to urgently incline small scale fisheries their natural strategies.

ENDS

CHEMICAL FISHING IN LAKE VITORIA COULD HURT KENYA’S ECONOMY

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THE DANGEROUS USE OF CYANIDE IN CHEMICAL FISHING IN LAKE VICTORIA COULD HARM KENYA’S FISH EXPORT TRADE ABROAD

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Homa-Bay Town.

UNSCRUPULOUS fishermen in Lake Victoria have recently introduced the use of cyanide and other chemicals to improve their fish harvesting in a manner which could prove to be very harmful and a health hazard to the consumers.

The time is ripe for the government of Kenya, particularly the Fisheries Department in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Minerals – Kenya, especially the Department of Fisheries in the Ministry of Minerals and Natural Resources, to institute thorough investigation on these claims with the view to protect fish commodity from this region as its economic mainstay.

Fish is one of the most important assets, which is raking millions of shillings into the country and as such is playing a pivotal role in Kenya’s economic growth.

According to Homa Bay County Governor Cyprian Otieno Awiti the county is earning about Kshs. 7 billion annually from the fishing industry.

It is being moderately estimated that Kenya earns about Kshs. 15 billion per year,most of the money come from foreign exchange from its experts to foreign countries in Europe, Middle East, Japan, Israel and the US. A highly prized item is the delicious fillets from the economically important Nile perch.

Nile perch fillet dishes is said to be so popular with consumers in the EU countries.

However, the laxity and complacency with which the government of Kenya is treating the fish industry could hurt the fish trade and further force close to 20,000 fishermen currently employed in the industry out of jobs.

In Homa-Bay County alone fishermen harvest approximately 80,000 metric tones worth Kshs 2 billion. This represents about 50 percent of the total catches in Lake Victoria waters, especially along the narrow Nyanza Gulf which the Homa Bay County is sharing with the neighboring Siaya, Kisumu Busia and Migori counties.

According to available statistics out of the total fish landings, Nile Perch accounts for about 40,000 metric tonnes valued at Kshs 6 billion and Omena (Ndaga) accounts 33,000 metric tonnes worth Kshs 2 million.

The Lake Victoria region, however, now has 1,801 fish pounds covering an area of 540,3000 square metres. Annual fish production from aquaculture is about 50 metric tonnes worth Kshs 12 million.

Governor Awiti disclosed that his county government has launched a campaign to popularize aquaculture to help ease pressure on Lake Victoria and its natural resources and is working closely with the Fisheries department in concerted effort to stamp out the use of illegal fishing nets, a practice which is to blame for the sudden decrease of fish stocks in Lake Victoria.

However, the other practice which is proving to be the worse is the increase in cases where unscrupulous fishermen use very cyanide chemicals in poisoning the fish. The practice is so bad as it killed fish in thousands and then destroyed the breeding grounds.

Equally met into great danger are the consumers of those fish killed with chemicals

Overseas consumers of Kenya fish often are unaware of the chemicals fishing method used upon some of imported fish from Kenya. The practice is also posed as being a health hazard to the breed consumers, therefore must be discouraged at all cost.

Fish harvested through the use of chemicals becomes perishable within hours and rotten even before reaching the consumer kitchen.

Ends

KENYA: GOVERNMENT URGED TO TAME ROGUE HIPPOS IN LAKE VICTORIA

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Writes Leo ODERA Omolo In Kisumu City

HUMAN – wildlife conflict is the latest subject of discontent and complaints following the numerous incidents of the reported Hippos attack in Lake Victoria which have resulted in the death of dozens of people in the recent months.

Savage attacks by the huge amphibious animals have claimed the lives of fishermen in Bondo, Rarieda, Mbita, Suba and Nyatike sub-County of Migori County. Other deaths CAUSED BY Hippos attacks were reported from Rusinga Island also within the Homa-Bay COUNTY. These series of incidents have prompted the residents of Nyanza, particularly those living along the shorelines of lake to make an urgent appeal to the Kenya Wildlife Services {KWS} and the government to come to their rescue.

Three fishermen were killed two weeks ago in Kakisingri, near Sindo CentreThe three were sailing back to the lake and the catches haul into the water.

The three fishermen made an attempt to swim to safety, but the animals followed them biting each one of them savagely thereby leaving them fatally injured and drowning in the seep waters.

According to information reaching us,the latest incident involving of hippo attack took place last weekend at Nyang”uena beach in Central Kadem Location in Nyatike sub-County within MIGORI County. There three fishermen who were among the four who had gone into the lake to check in heir nets were attacked, in this particular incident Nahashon Abiero and Kisuge Odingo narrowly escaped death. The two, however, narrowly escaped and swam to safety while their other three colleagues escaped unhurt.

Between last year and this year, close to 12 people have perished as the result of attack by hippos. The residents of lowland locations which are lying along the shorelines of Lake Victoria are up in arms and wanted the relevant government Ministry and the KWS to scale down the hippos population.

Similar incidents have also been reported in Bondo, Rarieda and in other parts of Siaya County.

Two deaths by hippos were also reported from Rusinga Island in Mbita district.

IN Rchuonyo North district, farmers who cultivate their lad near the lake have had a lot of problems with the herds of Hippos reportedly destroying 80 per cent of their grain crops in the field.Any frantic attempt by farmers to chase these animals away from their farms have also resulted in the attacks.Hippos are known to be docile animals and not so aggressive towards human being with exception of mothers nursing their calves. Experts have pointed out that hippos in lake Victoria have turned out of late to be so aggressive due ye to the scarcity of weeds and grasses on which the animals feeds on due to excessive cultivation by farmers of the land along the lake shorelines, which has destroyed the weeds and grasses. The only lasting solution I for the KWS to move in and scale down the hippos population. These animals are currently protected by the law

Under the conservation regulations aggrieved farmers cannot be not permitted to kill them, causing the animals to starvation.

Ends.

CHEMICAL FISHING IS POSING A BIG THREATS TO FISHING AND FISH TRADE IN LAKE VITORIA

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From: LEO ODERA

Kenyan communities which are living along the shorelines of Lake Victoria have raised complaints about the alarming increase in cases whereby unscrupulous fishermen are reportedly using dangerous chemicals which are killing thousands of fish species at the same time causing high risk of health hazards to the consumers.

Reports reaching us from low lying locations along the lake’s shorelines, especially in the Nyanza Gulf says that owing to the laxity and complacency on the part of, and lack of effective patrol of, the lake by the officials of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Fisheries Department, there is a sharp increases in the use of dangerous chemicals such as snide and other poisonous chemicals by unscrupulous fishermen.

Experts have said that poisonous chemicals are now being used excessively by unscrupulous fishermen in their concerted effort to enhance catches. Any adverse publicity in the media, particularly in those countries which are currently importing lake Victoria fish could put into jeopardy the booming trade in fish commodity. This is what once happened to the neighboring Uganda some years back when EU and other importers stopped their fish import from that country following allegation about chemical fishing. Kenya and Uganda shared Lake Victoria.

THe regions most affected by the latest incidences of chemical fishing included parts of Suba, Rarieda and Bondo sub-counties.

In Uyoma West Location, the local fisherman had ganged themselves and beat one of them who Was caught red handed using chemical whioef9ishng during the dead hour of the night

Fisherman are also reported to be working in total defiance against the laid down fishing regulations by Way of using unauthorized fishing nets and fish unlawful fishing gears

The Ministry has posted fish scouts at the various points within the lake, but the officials are said to be Corruptly sleeping on their jobs and having been compromised by the unscrupulous fishermen.

Chemical fishing is also said to be so rampant in the two major fishing islands of Rusinga and Mfangano.The practice is slowly spreading into other fishing locations in Karungu and Kadem within Nyatike sub-county of Migori, Gwassi and Kaksingiri areas.

End

TOP KENYA POLICE IN MIGINGO AFTER ATTACK

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By Our Reporter

Top Kenya police led by the outgoing Nyanza Provincial Police boss Joseph ole Tito led a delegation to Migingo Island in Lake Victoria following an attack on three administration of police officers by Ugandan police.

Tito who was accompanied by Migori County police commander Clement Gatogo held a closed door meeting in the tiny controversial Island for close to four hours.

Tito however maintained that the meeting was a familiarization tour for the new police commander in the county.

He says the meeting was normal only to check on the living condition of the officers who are stationed at the Island to provide law and order.

However, Migingo Beach Management Unit chairman Juma Ombori says the meeting was necessitated by the attack on the APs by the Uganda forces.

Ombori says the three Kenyan officers were assaulted for no apparent reason by their neighboring colleagues sparking tension within the Island.

The attack was confirmed by the Nyatike deputy county commissioner Moses Ivuto who termed the incident as unfortunate.

Ivuto says the injured officers were treated in a nearby health facility and discharged and investigations into the attack is on.

Ends.

EU to give millions of Euros for the rehabilitation of water towers in Mt Elgon and Chrangayi regions

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

The European Union will fund the rehabilitation of the Cheranganyi and Mt Elgon water towers program in Western Kenya to the tune of 2.5 million Euros {K shs 278 million.

The two water towers are reported to have been massively depleted of the indigenous trees by illegal loggers threatening the survival of the rivers that depend on them including the world famous Nile River.

The project is to be undertaken by the Moi University, Eldoret in collaboration with the Forest Research Institute {kefri}

This was disclosed last week by the Dean of the Environmental Studies at the Eldoret based University Vinah Vindoi who disclosed that the project will be implemented over a period of six year and will benefit the local communities through the creation of jobs and rehabilitation of the much vandalized and depleted forest resources.

He said there has been discrimination in dissemination of information to the local communities leaving the room and vacuum which has turned into wanton destruction the two important water towers.

He said once the key objective of the project in sensitizing the local communities to the real need of conserving and protecting the towers, this could turn out to be the most important part of the rehabilitation objectives.

The local communities will then aide the conservation efforts by the government and other stakeholders.

Prof Sindoi said that KEFRI will conduct further research and recommend the type of tree seedling that will be suited for the area. The tree will be replanted in the area set aside as the commercial areas or zones and will be sourced from the local communities.

HE urged the local communities to take the conservation work seriously. The locals have bee accused of destroying hr forest through charcoal burning and illegal loggers.

Meanwhile another important project to get rid of Lake Victoria water hyacinth is also taking shape soon. The project is just about to take off in Homa-Bay and Kisumu Counties.

And this time around the Kisumu based Lake Victoria Environmental Program LVEMPI is determined to ensure that the dreadful weeds, which invaded the lake two decade ago, and since caused problems for the fishermen, and made navigation of small vessels well as ships difficult, is permanently eradicated.

THe weed which has been a menace to fishing expedition in the areas affected like Homa-Bay and Kisumu Counties will be removed manually and biologically.

This comes after all the previous effort to clear the lake of the weed had flopped. LVEMP is expecting to receive a machine for this purpose from the Kenya Marine and will also use the weevils to feed on the weeds.

Ends

KENYA: KISUMU AND HOMA-BAY COUNTIES STANDS BETTER CHANCE OF TURNING THE FACE OF LUO-NYANA INTO A VIBRANT ECONOMIC HUB FOR WESTERN KENYA.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

TWO regions in Western Kenya stands a better chance of setting up fast and vibrant development, if the two County governance could pull up socks and redouble efforts in the real task of development.

Both Kisumu and Homa-Bay Counties are rich in natural resources which include fisheries, minerals while endowed with fertile arable land for the production of nearly al cash crops such as sugar cane, coffee tea, and vegetable horticulture.

The two counties are sharing the Nyanza Gulf {formerly Kavirondo Gulf, a narrow and shallow waterway that winds up at the eastern shoreline of Lake Victoria.

However, the two regional assemblies, will have to look for urgent sources of funds with which could be used to eradicate the water hyacinth weeds which has chalked the lake for the last ten years and so.

The fishing industry is arguably the main economic stay of the resident of the two counties. The dreadful water hyacinth weeds has become an impediment to further development of fishing activities, and means and ways must be found for its immediate removal either manually or mechanically.

Ships, steamers an fishing boats are finding it difficult to navigate their way through the water hyacinth weeds, which at time even blockades the narrow waterway into Kisumu Pier and thereby blocking ships plying the narrow water way while ferrying cargoes and goods to the neighboring land-locked counties of Tanzania, Uganda ,Rwanda, Burundi, Central African Republic and the Dr Congo, republic and Southern Sudan.

Recent government statistics showed that Kenya has done well in exporting its fish to the,Israel,Japan and US,though the country owns only small fraction of Lake Victoria waters at only 20 per cent, while its two other partners in the East African Community {EAC} have the Lion’s share with Tanzania 50 per cent, Uganda 46 per cent.

Judging from the type of personnel recently appointed to serve in the two regional cabinets by the two governors o Kisumu and Homa-bay, the resident have a goods reason to smile ,expecting the assembly cabinet and representatives to deliver the goods to the electorate within the quickest period of time possible to deliver.

Both governors Cyprian Otieno Awiti [Homa-Bay}, Jack Ranguma {Kisumu}The two men boost vast and wealth experience in the management of pubic affairs. Rumors making the round that Oil and natural gas were recently discovered in Nyakach area with the potential commercial could boost the two counties economically value could give the region a boost.

The two counties are sharing the Nyanza Gulf with the Homa-Bay have the largest area covering Nyakach Rachuonyo North,Rangwe, Homa-bay and Mbita districts.

Kisumu Countyhas the advantage of hosting five sugar manufacturing companies, namely Chemelil, Miwani, Kibos and Muhoroni, though the ailing industry has permanently on its death bed.These factories need to be resuscitation in order to improve the circulation o cash money in the two regions.

During the recent long rains which had caused the massive flood of many parts of Nyanza, there were the sighs of relief on the faces f the fishermen and those involved inn the fish trade. They woke up in the morning only to find the dreaded water hyacinth weeds blown away by strong wind during the night leaving many parts of the lake clean and clear. However, this did not offer the permanent solution and this is the main reason why the two counties must sources for the funds in order to combat the menace of water hyacinth.

Another value added project, which would soon pace Kiumu city ino theglobal map is the rent expansion o the Kisumu Airport in which the Kenya government has so far sunk billion of shillings into.It is increasingly becoming incentive to the famers I Kisumu, Kisii and Homa-Bay Counties to go for more lucrative earning cash-crops like horticultural, which could be airlifted directly from kisumu Airport to any destination globally

Ends

Exploitation of African Natural Resources should deliver African share of global manufacturing

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From: Juma Mzuri

Author: Dr. Antipas T. Massawe/0754653924/massaweantipas@hotmail.com

People and natural resources such as the renewable like fertile lands, lakes, rivers and oceans and the nonrenewable mineral resources like iron, copper, nickel, coal, oil and gas, diamonds, gemstones and rare earths have always been source of the seed capital, raw materials and the technologies involved in the manufacturing practice behind the sustainable processes of wealth creation most of the wealthiest economies worldwide are characterized with and should be source of the same for the African continent.

Despite of been one of the most gifted in terms of natural resources and manufacturing potentials, Africa is still the world’s poorest and most backward continent in its application of modern technologies and its share of global manufacturing is only 1 % and shrinking as its labour intensive made goods fail to compete with the imported goods which are more competitive in the local market because they are manufactured using modern technologies which are continuously modernizing.

Africa failed to enable realization of its huge manufacturing potentials because the individual going African countries are on in the foreign lead exploitation of there natural resources is not earning their Governments much of the revenue they deserved due to bad mineral policies, legislations and rampant corruption and/or professional incompetence among the Government officials responsible.

And, most of the little revenue African Governments earn here is not wisely invested in the development of the foundation infrastructures required to enable the countries to attract their deserved share of Global investing in manufacturing due faulty investment priorities, corruption and/or professional incompetence among the Government officials responsible. As a consequence, Africa remains a net exporter of raw materials cheaply and importer of manufactured goods costly when technological illiteracy, joblessness and poverty among its majority population escalate.

Even the exponential increases of Foreign Direct Investments experienced on the Continent in the past decade and reported by Elsabé Loots and Alain Kabundi didn’t earn the Continent deserved benefit because most were associated with the exploitation of nonrenewable mineral resources as raw materials like crude oil for export instead of local manufacturing.

Collaboration among African Countries is required to enable collective responsibility in ensuring they earn their deserved share of the wealth generated from exploitation of their natural resources for investing in the development of the foundation infrastructures required to enable the Continent attract its deserved share of Global investing in manufacturing and the modern technologies it is associated with by accomplishing as follows:

development of the All Africa Master Plan of integrated foundation of infrastructures which is required to make Africa attractive for the Global investing in manufacturing;

formulation of All Africa common mineral policies and legislations which are required to enable African countries to earn their deserved share of the wealth generated from exploitation of their natural resources;

development of the All Africa Master Plan of priority manufacturing potentials;

formulation of All Africa common policies and legislations which are required to encourage and enable individual African countries to invest the revenues they earn from exploitation of their natural resources in the development of the All Africa Master Plans of integrated foundation of infrastructures and/or priority manufacturing potentials;

formulation of All Africa common legislations which discourage exportation of raw materials which are essential in the development of the All Africa Master Plans of integrated foundation of infrastructures and/or priority manufacturing potentials or unprocessed.

The manufacturing growth potentials Africa is gifted with are one of the best among the countries sharing the Indian, Atlantic and Mediterranean Oceans and their coastlines in North and South America, Middle East and Asia. If their exploitation is well organized and managed, the Continent could become one of the leading manufacturers worldwide.

Africa is strategically located on the interface of world’s leading marine trade exchange between markets within
and around the Atlantic, Indian and Mediterranean Oceans and surrounded all around with very extensive coastlines and numerous sites which are suitable potentials for the development of marine ports to facilitate marine trade exchange between the main Global markets in Africa and within and around the three Oceans.

Africa is also one of the most gifted in terms of its favourable climate throughout the year, mineral resources, fertile lands, forests, freshwater bodies and potentials for fresh water dams construction, fresh and salt water fishing, hydro, coal, solar, wind, geothermal and nuclear power generation and a lot of other natural gifts of great importance in the development of a highly competitive African manufacturing economy.

The natural advantages Africa is gifted with over most of the rest worldwide plus its huge population of 1 billion in 2009 and which has a high growth rate of 3 % make it the ideal place for the ongoing raw materials of Africa based global manufacturing for markets within and around the Atlantic, Indian and Mediterranean Oceans.

Despite of being gifted with all what is required to turn the Continent into one of the leading players in the fisheries, agriculture, forestry and mineral resources based Global manufacturing, Africa is still one of the least manufacturing continent in the world and a net exporter of raw materials cheaply and importer of manufactured goods costly from foreign markets which are naturally less competitive for manufacturing investments compared to Africa.

Africa’s present share of global manufacturing is 1 % and shrinking as its labour intensive manufacturing going on in conditions of limited financing and unreliable and costly power supply and transportation of raw materials becomes uncompetitive in-front of the highly productive and cost effective modern technologies based global manufacturing going on in the foreign markets where financing is readily available and power supply and transportation of materials most reliable and cost effective worldwide.

Africa failed to secure its deserved share of global manufacturing because the individual going African countries are on in the exploitation of their natural resources has failed to enable them and their Continent into one of the most attractive for the modern technology based Global investing in manufacturing.

Africa failed because markets of individual African countries are too small and the individual going African countries are on in their uncoordinated foreign dominated exploitation of their natural resources like the nonrenewable mineral resources is not earning them their deserved share of the wealth generated due to bad mineral policies, legislations and rampant corruption and/or professional incompetence among the Government officials involved in the scrutiny and approval of mineral contracts which favour foreign explorers and miners at the expense of their own Governments and fellow citizens.

Again, rampant corruption and/or professional incompetence among the officials responsible in the management of Government revenue and its investing and the faulty and/or conflicting investment priorities most of the African countries are on in their individual going resulted into most of the little revenue individual African countries are earning from the foreign dominated exploitation of their nonrenewable minerals ending up in the pockets of corrupt individuals and most of the rest invested on faulty priorities other than in the development of a well harmonized and/or integrated foundation of infrastructures like transportation and power generation and transmission throughout the manufacturing and market potentials in all African countries.

Having all African manufacturing and marketing potentials well covered with reliable and cost effective networks of materials transport and power generation and transmission is essential in the minimization of cost in African manufacturing and movement of materials throughout its fast growing population of more than 1 billion and enable it to realize its natural competitiveness for Global investing in manufacturing.

Lack of the foundation infrastructures required to enable Africa to realize its natural competitiveness for Global investing in manufacturing is what forced countries on the Continent to remain net exporters of unprocessed raw materials cheaply and importers of the manufactured goods they consume costly. This is bad because Africa earns just a mere fraction of the natural wealth inherent in its exports of unprocessed raw materials and as it imports the manufactured goods costly, the Continent continues sinking deep into poverty as earnings from unprocessed raw materials exported cheaply remain insufficient to finance the importation of all essential goods costly.

As a net exporter of raw materials and importer of manufactured goods, the Continent also continues sinking deep into technological backwardness and become more and more unproductive and poorer, as it fails to secure application of modern technologies in local manufacturing; as its natural resources like the nonrenewable mineral resources continue been drained away cheaply by foreigners; and as its hydropower generation potentials like the Grand Inga and the Stigler’s hydropower generation potentials in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania continue draining as waste into the Atlantic and Indian Oceans when acute shortage of power supply is such a huge hindrance of development on the Continent.

Even though, Africa is still rescue-able because the huge natural wealth still in its possession in the form of natural resources like nonrenewable mineral resources and power generation potentials is a lot more than required to finance development of the integrated foundation of infrastructures which is required to enable the Continent realize its natural competitiveness for Global investing in manufacturing.

Rescue of Africa requires African Governments to decide and pass resolution that their individual policies and legislations which are involved should be reviewed and harmonized to effect common strategies and African collaboration in the exploitation of the wealth inherent in natural resources like nonrenewable mineral resources and power generation potentials within individual African countries in order to ensure African countries earn their deserved share of the wealth generated and investing it wisely in the development of the All African Integrated foundation of infrastructures like transport and power generation and transmission which are required to enable Africa realize its natural competitiveness for global investing in manufacturing and reverse trend in which Africa is a net exporter of unprocessed raw materials cheaply and importer of manufactured goods costly.

Idea is to enable individual African countries to overcome their chronic dependence on developed nations (especially the former colonial masters) for aid, which is often tied up with condition that individual African countries should adopt policies and legislations which discourage collaboration among themselves in favour of the collaboration of individual African countries with the developed donor nations in the management and exploitation of their natural resources in which African countries will remain net exporters of raw materials to the former colonial masters cheaply and importers of manufactured goods from the same costly.

Objectives of African collaboration are:

to enable African countries to formulate and dictate All Africa common terms in their collaboration with non African countries in the management and exploitation of natural resources on the Continent and establish a win-win situation in which African countries will earn their deserved share of the wealth inherent in their natural resources;

to formulate the common All Africa Master plan of integrated foundation of infrastructures like in transportation, power generation and transmission and water supply which are required to enable the continent realize its natural competitiveness for Global investing in manufacturing;

to identify priority manufacturing potentials like in fisheries, agriculture, forestry and mineral resources in all African countries and formulate the All Africa Master Plan of priority manufacturing potentials and promote it for Global investing;

to formulate African common policies and legislations required to ensure individual African countries earn their deserved share of the wealth inherent in their natural resources like nonrenewable mineral resources and discourage exportation of raw materials in favour of importation of Global investing in manufacturing;

to formulate guidelines for encouraging and enabling individual African countries to invest the revenues they earn from exploitation of their natural resources in the development of the All Africa Master plans of integrated foundation of infrastructures and priority manufacturing potentials anywhere on the Continent, provided that new developments and their capacities won’t compromise the market shares of developments already on ground and cause underutilization of costly African infrastructures and manufacturing facilities already on ground due to;

to establish and adopt common measures against corrupt practices in the doing of business on the Continent;

to enable African countries to invest in the development of economic growth potentials anywhere on the continent and secure their deserved shares of Global investing for manufacturing and benefit from the modernizing technologies and job opportunities inherent in Global investing for manufacturing.

Aim is to achieve the collective responsibility of all African Governments in ensuring that exploitation of natural resources like nonrenewable mineral resources within individual countries on the Continent earns them their deserved shares of the revenues generated for investing in the development of the All Africa Master plans of integrated foundation of infrastructures and priority manufacturing potentials anywhere on the Continent to reverse trend in which the Continent is a net exporter of raw materials cheaply and importer of manufactured goods costly.

Africa: LAKE VICTORIA FACES ECOLOGICAL DISASTER IF THE DRY WATER HYACINTH IS SUNK IN THE WATER.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

Experts have once again sounded a stern warning that Lake Victoria is facing ecological disaster if the particles from dry hyacinth weed are left to rot and sink inside its waters.

The Kenya Marine and fisheries Research Institute {kemri} said in Kisumu this week that if the hyacinth weeds sunk, aquatic life would be placed at the high risk.

Several fish species in the lake, especially the much cherished Nile Perch and Tilapia and small fish like [Omena} that cannot survive inside the water with few oxygen concentration might be completely wiped out, said Dr Ojwang’ Oweke the KEMRI’s senior scientist.

Mad fish, locally known as “Kamongo” and cat fish locally called “Mumi”are among the specifies that can survive in the water with low oxygen concentration.

According to KEMRI’s researcher’s water hyacinth produces humid acid when it decomposes in the water-a process that used oxygen and deprives aquatic plants and animals of fresh air.

The acid contains harmful elements lie iron and manganese which the scientist attributed to the brown color of water supplied in the region by the Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company ltd.

Dr. Oweke called upon the government to make use of colleges and universities in the region to assist in removing the dry weed by use of conveyor belt.

“This is the time for the government to come and try to use the conveyor belt mechanism t remove the dry hyacinth so as to save the lake.:

“The manual removal used by Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project in 2011 and late last year was a total waste of money, and time because this poised a high risk to the laborers and it also led to ever sprouting of the dreadful weed.

The scientist the machine would clear the dry water hyacinth and ump on the shore where it would be burned.

Reupen Omondi, another scientist said the hyacinth had turned brown because weevils had fed on it as it was drying up.

He insects were introduced in the lake by the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute in 2005.

“Weevils are killing the weed and the government need to respond quickly to remove danger from destroying ecosystem, he said.

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Kenya: Villagers retrieved the half-consumed body of a girl killed by crocodile near Kisumu

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

RESCUERS and search team have retrieved the half consumed body of a 17 year old girl who was killed by a Nile Crocodile as she went to the lakeside to fetch for waters.

Anne Auma was killed early last week, but her half eaten body was recovered last Saturday inside the reed plantation.

The search team was joined by the staff of the KWS. Residents have since appealed to the KWS and the government to hunt down the killer reptile and ensure that the villagers were safe from such attacks in future.

Report reaching us says that there are upsurge of incidents of crocodile attacks in various parts of Lake Victoria. An incident was recently reported around Kokwiri in Uyoma West .Rarieda district where a fisherman was devoured by a crocodile.

Another incident occurred on Rusinga Island in Mbita district. There are numerous incidents involving crocodile attacking and killing domesticated animals such as sheep and goats.

IN uriri district in Migori County a 12 year old school girl who had gone to the River Oyani with her mother on clothes washing mission was attacked and killed by a crocodile.The animal population had declined after the massive hunting down and killing hundreds for their valuable skins in the early 1950s. However, the colonial government reintroduced the reptiles back into the lake in early 1960.

The menace of crocodile attacking human being and animals in Lake Victoria has risen..

Crocodiles feeds on fish, but in the absence of sufficient number of fish in the lake for its feeding it can resort to hunting down human beings and domestic animals for prey..

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Fishing business activities in lake Victoria has resumed in earnest after the dreadful water hyacinth weeds was blown off by current and strong winds

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Homa-Bay Town.

FISHING business activities has resumed in earnest after the current and strong winds swept away the water surface of Lake Victoria leaving it clean.

The stakeholders and those involved in fish mongering business as well as thousands of fishermen operating in the rake were on Wednesday this week seen preparing their boats and other fishing gear in readiness to re-deploy them on the lake.

The menace of the water hyacinth weeds did not only hampered the fishing activities, but also blockaded the water surface and even ships steamers and all vessels plying the region, especially those ferrying cargoes and shop-good between the eastern shore of Kisumu pier to neighboring countries like Uganda, Rwanda and Northern Tanzania had come to virtual the last seven months.

The worse hit areas were along the shorelines of the Nyanza Gulf {formerly Kivirondo Gulf covering Bondo, Rarieda, Seme, Kisumu, Nyando, Nyakach, Rachuonyo North and Homa-Bay.

The weed had blocked the lake water making the navigation of steamers and even fishing boats impossible. On two occasions, the government was urgently summoned to avail police helicopter to come to the rescue of fishermen whose boats were stranded in the lake for several days without food or water for drinks.

This happened near Soklo Island ,which is just located a few kilometers outside Homa-Bay town and in Karabondi area in Karachuonyo east.

The invasion of water hyacinth weeds in the last seven months had hampered the fishing activities and has sent the price of fish skyrocketing. Close to 50,000 fishermen are operating inside the Kenyan side of the second largest water mass, which is shared between Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

A good number of fishermen had abandoned their trade and quit the trade in search of green pasture elsewhere. The fishing industry is the mainstay of the economy of the region, coming only second to sugar cane farming.

Experts say that there are close to 4000 fishing boats operating in Nyanza Province and the industry is supporting close to 3 million people, especially those living close to the shorelines of the lake.

The Kenyan fishing communities stretches from River Sio and Rwambwa areas Busia, Busia district and covered the widest area which included the two Nyakach, Nyando, Seme in Kisumu County , Raried and Asembo, Yimbo, Mageta Islands, Oyamo Island, in Uyoma peninsula in Siaya County and,,Gwassi, Mbita, Rachuonyo, Rangwe, in Homa-Bay County,and also small portion of Nyatie in Migori County.

Statistics recently made available by the fisheries department of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment moderately indicated that Kenya is raking in Kshs 13 billion annually in foreign exchange as the results of its export of the highly prized Nile Perch filets to the Middle East, Japan, Israel, EU and the US.

Residents of Nyanza Provnce, however, have appealed to the government to find the lasting solution to the menace of water hyacinth weeds.

It could be either removed by mechanized means or manually by hired youths the same way the Ugandan government has done.

A recent report released by the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute revealed that the number of fishermen and fish landing sites in Nyanza Province has decreased and reduced drastically in a span of two years.

The report released in Kisumu two weeks ago indicated that fishing landing sites decreased from 324 in 2010 to 311 last year due to the menace caused by the water hyacinth on Lake Victoria.

It also send a warning signal about the dwindling stock of fish in the lake due to over-fishing, the use of illegal fishing methods

The problem is blamed squarely on lack of protection of fisheries resources and corruption by those assigned the duty of protecting it by the relevant Ministry.

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LAKE VICTORIA BASIN COMMISSION TO ENSURE LAKE SAFETY .

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Fishermen on a fishing expedition in Lake Victoria’s Kenyan side.


By Dickens Wasonga.

According to maritime experts, an estimated 5000 people drown in Lake Victoria annually as risks of navigating through the lake waters persists. These are people who perish in the lake while either using it for transport or on fishing expedition.

Addressing journalists from Kisumu during a special media briefing organized by the Lake Victoria Basin Commission last week in Kakamega town to give a report on achievements by the commission since 2006 , the LVBC Executive Secretary Dr. Canisius Kanangire said the trend was worrying EAC member countries and revealed that efforts to reverse it were already being enhanced.

The LVBC boss said bad weather, unstable boats, over loading, lack of safety gadgets and poor seamanship amongst others are some of the reasons being attributed by maritime authorities as being behind the increasing cases of accidents within the world’s second largest fresh water lake.

However all is not lost . Lake Victoria Basin Commission which was established 6 years ago by the EAC member’s states to promote and facilitate sustainable utilization of the natural resources within the basin has embarked on the implementation of an ambitious four year strategic plan which amongst other measures will address safety of the lake.

Already the East African Legislative Assembly that draws its membership from the five EAC partner states has enacted Lake Victoria Transport Act which will soon be fully operational zed to help in regulating navigation and shipping laws to be jointly applied by the member states in order to improve safety within lake Victoria.

Amongst a raft of measures, the commission’s four year strategic plan also seeks to establish 16 search and rescue stations around the lake. Out of the 16 stations, 3 will be on the Kenyan side, 8 in Tanzania and 5 in Uganda. The allocation , according to LVBC was pegged on the size of the lake each member country occupies.

The stations will also serve as training centers where people can learn about maritime safety among them the fishermen many of whom have perished in the lake waters in the past. The commission is also in the process of putting in place a maritime telecommunication network which is set to cover the lake surface as well as the entire shoreline.

Towards this end an emergency number 110, which can be used for search and rescue services in Lake Victoria by anyone in distress has also been adopted for use by the national regulatory authorities of each of the EAC states.

According to the LVBC Maritime Communication and Safety on Lake Victoria project coordinator Eng. Vincent Hagono, a pilot emergency response control and positioning center has already been launched and tested in Kampala Uganda in the network that will cover over 80 per cent of the fishing areas of the lake.

Eng. Hagono said phase one of the project that seeks to ensure safety in the lake started three years ago at a cost of 20 million US dollars while its second phase will require additional 10 million US dollars to complete.

LVBC , headquartered in Kisumu Kenya is facilitating and promoting the implementation of a number of key community driven projects executed by various state actors in each member state amongst them, water supply and sanitation projects, protection of water catchment areas, income generating activities which in the end should aid it in its vision of having a prosperous population living in a healthy and a sustainably managed environment .

Currently the commission which receives 90% of its funding from the World Bank is headed by Dr. Canisius Kanangire of Rwanda as its Executive Secretary and has a staff of 60 people drawn from across the EAC partners’ states. It plans to build a state of the art offices in Kisumu where the host country Kenya has donated 2.5 hectares piece of land for the project.

ENDS.

EXPERTS HAVE WARNED THAT THE NILE PERCH LAKE VICTORIA FISH STOCK IS DWINDLING TO THE POINT OF FACING EXTINCTION.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu

Lake Victoria the world’s second largest inland water mass is rapidly losing its fish stock. The worse affected is the economically prized Nile Perch species.

According to the information contained in statistics compiled from various fish landing beaches on the Kenyan side of the lake, the Nile Perch, which is commonly known as “Mbuta”, is an asset to the country because Kenya export tones of its fillets to the European, Japan, US and Israel markets.

The statistics are backed up by a study report by the Kenya Marine Fisheries Research Institute {KMFRU}. Nile Perch species stocks in the lake has reduced to 34 per cent.

Mbuta was among many alien species of fish introduced into Lake Victoria in 1950s by the British colonial authorities to boost its economic benefits, but this has turned to be unsustainable in the long term since the lake ‘s ecological function and ecosystem suffer from elements beyond its boundaries.

According to the research, 49 per cent of Nile Perch is harvested before it reaches maturity stage, thereby interfering with the reproduction process.

A mature Nile Perch weights over 200kgs and is more than six feet long; but the KMFRI study says fishermen do not let the fish grow to this size. The Nile Perch is also a predator that dominates its surrounding and feeds on other fish as well as its own offspring.

KMFRI researcher Simon Agembe was recently quoted as saying that due to reduced fish yields, reducing biodiversity and water borne diseases, the livelihood and well being of more than 40 million people who depended on the lake’s resources, remains at risk.

Dr Agembe said if the fishing is not regulated, stocks of other species like dagaa {Omena} is likely to decline since fishermen are piling pressure on them.

Dagaa’s decline stands at 54 per cent. The study recommends that the government puts measures that will protect Nile Perch and other species in place.

The study proposed the protection of breeding areas and introduction of an alternative source of food in the lake region and income for fishermen to reduce the pressure on the lake.

Expert attribute the deflation of fish stocks in Lake Victoria to over-fishing, the use of unlawful and wrong fishing gears such as fish nets, the illegal use of chemicals which kills fish in their thousands, .

Fishermen and villagers around Luanda Koteno in Rarieda district were recently reported to have cornered and killed one fisherman who was caught red-handed while using chemicals at night in this way.\

A good number of youths, who are suspected to have lynched the fisherman they found using chemicals on fish, were later rounded up and charged with the murder in a Kisumu court., But the use of chemicals on fish is said to be still on the upsurge.

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Kenya: Wildlife / human conflict continues umabayed as the mysterious beast kills 20 livestock while hippo devoured fishermen in Lake Victoria

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Write Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

LIVESTOCK farmers in the North Rift district of Nandi are having counting losses after a yet to be identified wild animal attacked their stock during dead hours of the night.

More than ten local farmers at Chepterit and Tukon villages in Nandi Central district have reported that several of their goats and sheep had been killed by a wild animal.

The mysterious animal has also attacked more than ten cattle by biting off their tails. Two local farmers who are among the affected farmers said their individual losses were amounting to over Khs 200,000.

Mr Abraham Kago and Mrs Rose and Mr Wesley Saina told the newsmen that the animal, which has been roaming the villages for the last two weeks, had killed a total of ten sheep, three goats and two cows.

The mysterious attack the livestock at night by breaking into livestock shed and biting the throats of sheep and goats. It only sucks blood and leaves the carcasses,“ said Mr Kago.

The farmers said that attempt to hunt for the mysterious for the mysterious animal and kill it have been futile despite assistance from the Kenya Wild life Services [KWS} game wardens an rangers.” Even though we have been working I hand with KWS officers, we have not succeeded because the armed game warden just avail themselves during the day when the beat is hiding,”added Mr Kago.

The game warden in-charge in Nandi County Joel Kanda could no be reached on phone of Central Nandi County. However a local source that KWS men were there on the ground hunting down the mysterious beast.

This incident came barely three months after Tsavo cat attacked livestock in the neighboring Ndalat location in Nandi North district killing over 30 sheep and goats.

Experts were, however, still analyzing the nature of the latest attack on livestock in Nandi, but could not agree on which type of animals could be responsible. Other says it could be a rogue leopard or wild dogs, but leopard is known not to attack big prey such as cows, but only prey on smaller domestic animals such as sheep.

While in the lakeside town of Bondo about 80 kilometer northwest of here, residents of Usigu Division in Yimbo Kadimo Division, Bondo district within Siaya County residents on Monday this week held demonstrations to protest over rampant incidents of hippo on fishermen working on Lake Victoria fish landing beaches. The demonstrators while carrying twigs and chanting anti-Kenya Wildlife Service slogans, the residents led by one parliamentary aspirant William Abuonji marched to the DC’s office to demand solution to their grievances.

The demonstrators claimed they have lost several relatives to hippo an crocodiles attacks against human being, but KWS had taken no action to protect their people

‘We have lost 20 people in the last three months, but KWS has not even attempted check human wildlife conflict here. We cannot afford to lose more lives,”Said Abuonji.

The number of people who have died due to hippo attack on lake shoreline or beaches along Lake Victoria have increase three times.

The protest followed an incident in which a 40-year old fisherman drowned to the lake last week after his boat was hit and overturned by a rough hippo off Siungu Beach in West Yimo location last Sunday night.Two weeks before that a 20-year old fisherman also died from another hippo attack off the same beach.

In September six people drowned in the lake after their boat was hit by hippo at Goye in Bondo and a week later a father & son died between Misori Beach and Magare Island in the neighboring Rarieda district in similar circumstance.

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Africa’s Natural Resources: Forum wraps Up with Suggestions for Sustainable Use of Africa’s Natural Resources

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From: News Release – African Press Organization (APO)
PRESS RELEASE

Forum wraps Up with Suggestions for Sustainable Use of Africa’s Natural Resources

Africa accounts for 60 per cent of the world’s uncultivated arable land that need to be protected against rapacious speculation

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, October 29, 2012/ — The eighth African Development Forum (ADF VIII) wound up in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Thursday with the adoption of a Consensus Statement suggesting better ways in which African countries can use their natural resources to promote people-centered sustainable development.

The 11-page document is the tangible result of the October 23-25 forum on the theme “Governing and Harnessing Natural Resources for Africa’s Development.”

It focused on how to generate maximum benefits from the exploitation of Africa’s lands, minerals, fisheries and forests for the benefits of the people.

On land, which has come under intense speculative pressure from local and foreign investors, the document calls for scientific and methodical approaches to land issues that would guarantee transparency, equity and sustainability.

These include strengthening policy, access, property rights, and investment in large scale agriculture in line with the existing Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

Africa accounts for 60 per cent of the world’s uncultivated arable land that need to be protected against rapacious speculation.

In an open letter to Forum participants, OXFAM said some 50 million hectares had been acquired in 700 transactions in recent years.

However, the mining sector incarnates the paradox of Africa’s natural wealth, where bounty breeds penury. According to the Consensus Statement, Africa ranks first or second in known world reserves of bauxite, chromite, cobalt, industrial diamond, manganese, phosphate rock, platinum-group metals, soda ash, vermiculite and zirconium. The continent is home to one-fifth of global gold and uranium supplies, while over 30 countries produce oil and gas in commercial quantity.

To resolve this dilemma, the Forum, among other measures, called for the implementation of the African Mining Vision adopted by African leaders in 2009. The vision sets out how mining can be used to drive the development of their countries.

According to the document, “transparent, equitable and optimal exploitation of mineral resources to underpin broad-based sustainable growth and socio-economic development is the major challenge for African countries today.”

On fisheries and aquatic resources, the Forum called for the strengthening of policies, legislation, strategies, investment and collaboration among states in various areas to develop the sector. Greater attention also needed to be paid to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) action plan on inland, coastal and marine fisheries and aquaculture at the national and regional levels. Africa loses a million tons of fishery resources estimated at over US $600 million annually to illegal and unreported fishing.

The forum dwelt at length on the need for the sustainable exploitation and preservation of Africa’s forests estimated at 675 million hectares or 17 per cent of global forests. The need for sustainable exploitation of the Congo Basin, the second largest forest in the world, was a recurrent theme at the gathering.

The Statement cited policy, legal, regulatory, economic, governance, equity, knowledge, institutional and environmental constraints as critical to the sustainable management of Africa’s forest resources with a developmental vision.

“Overcoming these constraints is key for attaining inter-sectoral linkages between agriculture, forest, industries and human settlement in Africa,” the document added.

The ADF, a United Nations Economic Commission for Africa biennial event is convened in collaboration with the African Union Commission, African Development Bank, and other partners to establish an African-driven development agenda that reflects consensus and leads to specific programmes for implementation. It is usually attended by some 1,000 participants including Heads of State and Government, African Member State policy-makers, development partners, other United Nations agencies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations (IGOs/NGOs), academia, practitioners, civil society organizations (CSOs), the private sector, eminent policy and opinion leaders, and the media.

Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of the African Development Bank.

Contact: Felix Njoku – n.njoku@afdb.org – +216 71 10 2612

SOURCE
African Development Bank (AfDB)

Kenya: Six fishermen die in Lake Victoria after hippo attack in which they drowned

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SIX FISHERMEN DIE IN LAKE VICTORIA FOLLOWING ATTACK BY A ROGUE BULL OF HIPPO AS THE BEAST OVERTURNED THEIR BOAT UPSIDE DOWN.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu city.

A small fishing Goye village in Yimbo Location,Usenge Division,in Bondo district was yesterday in mourning mood after six young fishermen from the village drowned and perished on Monday morning following an attack by a rogue bull of hippopotamus.

Four of the fishermen survived and were rescued. The incident occurred on Monday morning in their home-made canoe when they encountered the beast. It overturned the boat upside down spilling the ten men occupying into the deep water.

The four managed to swim and clung on the overturned boats for several hours. they were later rescued by the crew of another boat and taken ashore to Usenge Beach fishing landing site. Local rescuers had retrieved only one the body of the victims but by Tuesday after five bodies were still yet to be recovered and the search was continuing.

The incident came only hours after close to 100 fishermen who were marooned inside the lake for three days after their path to the shore was blocked by huge water hyacinth weeds for more than twenty four hours were rescued alive and taken to safety.

The incident took place in Rachuonyo North district where dozens of boats carrying close to 100 fishermen were marooned inside the deep water part of Lake Victoria. The rescue was successful following a joint combined effort Kenya Wildlife Service helicopter and the Provincial Administration in Nyanza Province.

Reports emerging from Bondo say the ten men were fishing in the morning when their boat encountered a huge of a rogue bull of hippo that attacked them and overturned their boat.

The area Chie Daniel Tiang’was quoted as saying that the four survivors had lung on to the overturned boat and signaled for help. By the time the help and assistance came, the six had already drowned.

By y the time of writing this report, Bondo police chief said he had yet to receive the report, but promised to dispatch a team of policemen to the scene of the incident t find pout what had gone wrong.

However, the area civic leader Councilor Agrey Dimo decried the increase incidents of hippos attacking and killing his people unabated.

He appealed to the official s of the Kenya Wildlife Service to control the population of hippos in the area to avoid more deaths.

He alleged that thirty people have been killed in hippo attack in a span of three months. The figure of the alleged victims of hippo attack could not be immediately confirmed with both the police and members of the Provincial Administration within Siaya County. However, observers were in total agreement with the civic leader that the number of incidents of attack and killing by hippos have increased I the recent past.

In the neighboring Mbita district in Homa-Bay County, the residents of Rusinga Island have lost five of their loved ones within last year and early this as the results of hippo attacks.

One knowledgeable and long time resident of Rusinga Island narrated t this writer that hippos had no history of harming people quite often. But he attributed the increases of hippo attacks on human being saying it could be attributed to the lost of green pasture and grass along he lake shorelines and weeds also the lake shore to which the hippos feeds too. They are hungry and liked the weeds and grass on which they feed on. One five ton hippo can feed on between one and two tons of grass per day in the normal circumstances. But due top over farming along the lake’s shorelines these docile and heavily built animals are no longer feeding well and hence sudden change of their temperament.

The only incident whereby the hippos can attack human being is when the female that is nursing a male calf which must be hidden to the dominant male father up t it obtain enough strength to fight the father o some time these animals are so destructive in destroying maize or sorghum millets farms that is next to the lake sore. in such a cases a dominant male hippo if provoked by a farmer guarding his farm can urn hostile an attack. But these are rare cases,” he, added.

The incident only came one day after close to 100 fishermen who were marooned inside Lake Vitoria without water and food for three days were rescued by the government using helicopters.

The fishermen had their path back to the fish landing beaches o the lake shorelines blocked by water hyacinth and weeds for three days without water and food were rescued.

The incident occurred in Karabondi Rambira location and Rakwaro Kamwala sub-location in Karachuonyo East location, in north Rachuonyo district within the County of Homa-Bay.

On of the fishermen who was among dozens of fishermen who rescued from the ordeal Joel Atieno Ogola narrated the three harrowing days which they were tapped for close to three days inside Lake Victoria.

He said most of the fishermen were from villages like Kotieno Gumba, Seka, Karabondi, Rakwaro Kamwla and Kogweno Kobala villages as well as around Kendu-Bay Pier. He said he and his team set for the lake on a fishing expedition last Thursday at about 4.30 P.M.

This was after the water hyacinth weed and cleared away from their beaches. Five hours into the lake waters, the previously calm weather was interrupted all of a sudden by a strong winds and storm that triggered panic among his boat’s crew.

Ogola explained that it was like the scenes and situation similar to those seen in the movies. Suddenly we could see from the dim moonlight that were being marooned by the weed that was being blown from both sides.

From that moment, everything turned dark because of the rains that rapidly increased every minute had also started drenching them.

‘All that they could to is to get anything that could protect them fro the rains,” said another fisherman Sam Okoth. When dawn on the next morning and there was enough light, they realized that they had been driven into the deep part and middle of the lake by the storm.

Okoth and his team were shocked to discover they wee not only in the deep part of the lake but they had also been encircled by the thick blanket of weeds,” he said.

They also discovered that they wee not alone in the lake after they counted about 30 boats and canoes which had between three and four fishermen aboard.

One of the fishermen in their boat had a mobile phone. They tried to use it in contacting the Beach Management Units, but the phone had run short of power and could not offer full conversation with the men on the beach. Crew of another boat had a working cellphone and managed to reach the men on the beach. In the middle of the same day, they D.C for Rachuonyo North and the Police chief arrive at camped at Rambira beach. But all of a sudden they saw a helicopter flying low over their heads. At an earlier attempt to raise the alarm for help they stood on the boat and used their jacket and shirts waving so that they cod catch the eyes o those n shoreline but I van.

The helicopter arrival was as the result of combined efforts by the Kenya Wild Life Services “{KWS}and the Provincial Administration. It was decided that energizing food and water be dropped to them as they were increasingly and rapidly become weaker and weaker.

After having been fed the helicopter dropped winch cable which pulled the boat up, but it got broken somewhere, and the gripped them.

It came when they were increasingly getting worried of the huge weeds, which moving also closing in because of the common stories that these weeds is the home habitat of big and dangerous snakes, and they fear had settled on their minds of possible attack, but noting e that happened.

Ogola denied the rumor that one fisherman man had died of exhaustion an hunger. He said they were only getting weaker, but thanks good all were rescued alive and heathy.

Ends

Kenya: Raila signs Sh382m fish deal

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From: amenya gibson

Paul signing fish deal is ok.

But you need to visit Lake Victoria and you will be shocked with amount of hyacinth there.

So how are we going to harvest those fish when all water is covered with water hyacinth?

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On Fri, Aug 17, 2012 at 9:14 AM, paul nyandoto wrote:

Guys;

I think that a lot have been said and written against the prime minister of kenya lately. But despite all those he the PM has continued to deliver his services to the nation. I think Raila is having a good spirit for Kenya. If he was evil as a lot have said in these forums, he would not be doing all these good things now. Just ask yourself what job are his DPM(2 in number) are now performing to Kenyans despite getting constant tax payers money and free services now. Read below.

Raila signs Sh382m fish deal

By EVELYN KWAMBOKA

Kenya has signed a Sh382 million trilateral co-operation agreement aimed at economic empowerment.

Signing the deal on behalf of the country Thursday, Prime Minister Raila Odinga said the deal would uplift the living standards of those living in the Lake Victoria basin.

“The agreement signed today identifies aquaculture (fish farming) as the pioneering area of focus which should lead to some quick wins,” he said. The Premiere said the Government had emphasis on fish farming to sustain the ever-growing demand for the commodity, while conserving the biodiversity of the overexploited lake.

During the ceremony at Ramogi Institute of Advanced Technology, Germany’s Economic Cooperation and Development Minister Dirk Niebel and Israel’s Foreign Affairs of the State Deputy Minister Danny Ayalon also signed the deal on behalf of their governments.

In the deal that is currently in phase one that is to last up to 2014, Germany has given Sh134 million, and Israel Sh248 million.

Raila noted the increasing demand for fish has led to excessive pressure on existing water bodies in areas like Lake Victoria where Nile Perch stocks have reduced in the recent years.

“The country’s aquaculture potential stands at 1.4 billion hectares, with the capacity to produce 11 million tons of fish that is worth over Sh50 billion annually,” he said.

Niebel said the cooperation was meant to make the fishing industry sustainable and effective in helping residents earn a living.

He said Kenya is a driving force to the region’s economic development, urging locals to diversify by carrying out fish farming in ponds.

On his part, Ayalon said the cooperation will see the country move from a ‘recipient nation to a donor’.

He said Israel is giving supporting the fishing project in Kisumu on humanitarian grounds.

Others present were ministers Fred Gumo, Margaret Kamar, MPs Fred Outa, Amason Kingi, Aluoch Olago and Kisumu Mayor Sam Okelo.