Category Archives: Fishing

Kenya & Uganda: Kenyan and Ugandan Ministers finally agreed to have survey work on the disputed Migingo Island resumed immediately

Leave a reply

Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

KENYANS and Ugandans living in village around Lake Victoria have good reasons to smile following a brief statement issued after a two days ministerial consultative meeting held in Nairobi resolved that the two countries should resume joint survey with the view to establish the true ownership of the disputed island in Lake Victoria.

The two small and rocky islands, which are located close to Kenyan mainland have been the subject of heated argument between the two sister countries. And at one time, the dispute about the ownership of Migingo and Ugingo had threatened to derail the regional integration under the auspices of the East African community, which both countries are the founder members.

Other members of the EAC include Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda shared lake Victoria with Tanzania having the lion’s share of 54 per cent, Uganda 42 per cent and Kenya had the smallest portion of the lake’s water at only 6 per cent, mainly around the Nyanza Gulf (formerly Kavirondo Gulf.

A joint ministerial consultative meeting held in a Nairobi hotel and chaired by Kenya’s Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Prof.George Saitoti and attended by a Ugandan delegation led by his counterpart Sam Kutesa also agreed that a joint policing exercise on the two islands should be established.

Prof Saitoti disclosed to the newsmen that police chiefs from the two countries would meet soon to operationalise the directive of the joint security policing and its mode.

Kenyans living on Migingo and Ugingo islands have often complained of harassment by Ugandan authorities, which they allege demand that, they pay taxes and bribes money before they are allowed to fish.
Migingo’s wealth lies in its proximity to some of the richest remaining deep water fishing ground in Lake Victoria. The highly prized and economically important Nil Perch species is said to be in abundance around the two islands.

Prof Saitoti spoke to newsmen on Wednesday evening at the end of the two days consultation meeting held in a Nairobi hotel between Kenyan and Uganda delegations. He said there is need to approach the issue soberly.”That is why I am happy that the joint consultative meetings that have been held in Nairobi have been very fruitful.”

Ministers in the Kenyan delegation at the Nairobi talks included James Orengo {Lands} Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ {Immigration}, Yusuf Hajji {Defense} and Prof.Hellen Sambili {EAC Affair}. Also in attendance was Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of lands Dorothy Angote and the Nyanza Provincial Commissioner Francis Mutie.

Diplomatic row erupted between Kenya and Uganda three years ago and shortly after President Yoweri Museveni controversially claimed that the disputed Migingo Island was in Kenya territory, but its waters were in Uganda.

Museveni defiantly declared that Kenyans would not be allowed to fish on the island, sparking off outrage and protests from the Kenyan public. At one time even Kenyan parliamentarians were up I arms demanding that the issue be handled militarily instead of diplomatically. But the principals in the ruling coalition government President Kibaki and the Prim Minister Raila Odinga repeatedly called for calm and insisted that the issue would be solved harmoniously.

President Kibaki took some time before he public reiterated that both Migingo and Ugingo were on the Kenyan side of the common international border between the two countries.

And on Wednesday this week Minister Saioti said Kenyans and other inhabitants of the two islands should go about their day to day activities without fear.

He added that while carrying out the joint survey, teams from both countries should be guided by the African Map of 1926 and 1962 Lancaster House constitution of Kenya and he 1995 Ugandan constitution.

ON HIS PART, Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa said that the Migingo issue should not be politicized, adding that all efforts and consultations be made to resolve the matter

“Let us be sincere while conducting the survey and not engage in acts that may cause unnecessary excitement or tensions,” Kutesa said.

The Ugandan Minister said residents of both countries who lives on the two islands should co-exist peacefully as they wait for the survey to be completed..

Ends

Kenya and Uganda have agreed to resume survey work on the disputed fishing islands in Lake Victoria

Leave a reply

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

KENYA and Uganda have agree to resumed the suspended joint survey work in Lake Victoria to establish the exact border and restore the ownership of the disputed two fishing islands of Migingo and Ugingo in Lake Victoria.

The two survey teams will report to their respective governments within two months. While the exercise is going on the two governments have agreed that contingent of police team from both countries would be deployed to patrol the islands.

The dispute over the ownership of Migingo Island has been the subject of heated exchange between the Kenyan and Ugandan governments with the MPs in Kenyan parliament up in arms urging their government to take military action to restore its sovereignty over the two islands.

Uganda has been adamant posting its marine police to patrol the two island and despite of repeated agreement that it should pull its security personnel out of the two islands to allow the joint team of surveyors to complete their work an determine the exact boundaries.

Meanwhile the Kenyan Ministry of Fisheries is set to spend over Kshs 6 billions within three years to beef up security in Lake Victoria.

Disclosing this good news, the Assistant Director of Fisheries Michael Obadha said the money is to buy surveillance boats, train rescuers in time of disasters, and introduce coast guards. The envisaged plans, he added are in advance stage.

He was addressing fishermen an fish traders at Mahanga fish landing beach in Siaya County .He said plans to introduce coast guards to patrol the Kenyan side of the lake against pirates and criminal element is in advance stage. Coast guards are a special security agents who deal with safety and criminal matters around water bodies.

The Ministry said the Obadha is now waiting for procurement of equipment and training of personnel who will be hired as coast guards before launching the essential service needed around the Kenyan side of Lake Victoria.

He said decision to introduce coast guards services was arrived at following rising insecurity in the lake. Fishermen have persistently complained of piracy and harassment from security agents from the neighboring countries.

The director assured fishermen that the presence of coast guards in the lake would be felt within the next one year. He said the constant wrangling between Kenyan fishermen and fishermen from neighboring countries were unhealthy and needed to be addressed urgently.

Obadha, however, advised the fishermen to desist from demanding more rights given that Kenya had the least size of water bodies in Lake Victoria.

His remarks come amid complaints by the Kenyan fishermen over harassment from neighbors .The neighbors accuse Kenyans fishermen of invading their territorial waters. “Although we only have six per cent of the entire water mass in Lake Victoria, yet we have majority of fishing crafts and fishermen in the lake. If each country was to stick to its territory, then we will be the sufferers.”

Director Obadha called on the Kenyan fishermen to be calm and patient over border conflicts. He further urged the fishermen to safeguard the cordial relationship with the neighboring counties of Uganda and Tanzania as their survival in fishing business depended on this.

He, however, cautioned that Kenya should be taken for granted over Migingo and Ugingo fishing island in lake Victoria, which Ugandan are illegally occupying at the moment, though the government wants to see the matter solved harmoniously.

Ends

Kenya: Suba region is the richest area within the Homa-Bay County

10 Replies

News Feature By Leo Odera Omolo In Mbita Town.

Sub-region, which is part of the Homa-Bay County, the largest in the greater Southern Nyanza is potentially and versatile in facilities which could rack in millions of shillings in terms of revenue collection if such resources could be properly developed.

Suba region is covering areas like Mbita and the newly created Gwassi administrative districts. This region along with its abundance resources is capable of making he vat Homa-Bay County one of the richest among the 47 counties countrywide.

It potential source of the resources and revenue include tourism, fishing and fish trades, hidden minerals, pre-historic sites and its proximity to the cross border trades across Lake Victoria and the neighboring states of Tanzania and Uganda.

Mbita and Gwassi parliamentary constituencies are parts of the eight parliamentary constituencies, covering Kasipul, Kabongo, Karachuonyo Rangwe, Homa-Bay and Ndhiwa, which forms the larger Homa-Bay County. The region needs only he good governance to be put n place at its administrative headquarters, which is located at Homa-Bay Town. The regional headquarters can now be accessed by good tarmacked roads via Rongo and also via Kendu-Bay in Rachuonyo North district.

The pre-historic sites on the twin islands of Rusinga and Mfangano could also be accessed by roads using the ultra-modern Ndori-Luanda-Kotieno road in Bondo that links Kisumu and Mbita Towns. Here the visitors could be ferried in a von voyage 40 minutes journey of crossing the narrow Nyanza Gulf using well maintained and serviced Mbita Ferries.

The Mbita Ferries, a company which is owned and managed exclusively by he local entrepreneur maintains two ferries with one sailing across while the other one stand by in case the one sailing across the channel is stalled in the middle of the lake.

The yet to be fully developed tourist attraction sceneries include Ruma National Game Park in Lambwe Valley, pre-historic sites on Rusinga and Mfangano Islands, Gwassi and in Rachuonyo. It is also a versatile region for lovers of birds watching and fishing leisure.

Ruma National Game Park is rich in abundance game animals of all species, and it is the home of the rare Roan Antelope, a very special species only found at the Simba Hill Game Reserve in Kwale district at the Coast and also in the famous Kruger National Game Pak in the Republic of South Africa.

The park is also housing other wild animals species like elands, reed-bucks, water-bucks, bush-bucks, Rothschild’s giraffes, tofi, the rare waiter antelopes which is only known in vernacular language as “Nyambaja”which resides on the summit of the nearby Ruri Hills and only occasionally come down to the plains in search of drinking waters during dead hours of the night. But only seen by the locals and visitors during the drought and dry spells of time when grass on the hill tops are burnt down by poachers.

However, the “Big Five” namely elephant, lions, rhinos are missing from the list f the wild animals currently stocked in the park. But the fifth which is evasive leopard is there with a few herds of the fiercest buffaloes, which rarely comes out of Bungu-Ruma forest. There are other predators like Hyena.

Next to Ruma National Game Park is the Gwassi Hills which reputed as being full of tree with medicinal substances and herbs. The beauty and value of the Gwassi Hills have in the recent years been vandalized due to intensive human settlement and farming. However, a Kisumu based NGO, the OSIENALA working in collaboration with foreign based financial agencies has made frantic efforts to save the Gwassi Hills with an intensive reforestation program, which has seen millions of tree seedling being planted on the hills and illegal settlers, sent packing.

Also located near Nyandiwa Trading Centre in Central Gwassi is the famous pre-historical site known as “Nyamgondho Wuod Ombare”. In this place mystery human foot-prints and those f domesticated animals could be seen on the rocks, especially during early morning hours when the lake waters are so clean.

The foot-prints are related with the mythological story of an estranged wealthy woman who rebelled against her foster husband and walked back into the lake where she had earlier on been fished out by Nyamgondho a fisherman after some alleged serious family disagreement. The woman is said to have run back to the lake and disappeared with all her worldly wealth including her domesticated animals.

The newly to be instituted County government must go out full blast and source the funds with which t could support the local entrepreneurs to establish luxury hotels and the beaches on both Rusinga and Mfangano islands, Gwassi, Kaksingiri and Rachuonyo North districts along the shorelines of Lake Victoria a part of tourist attractions.

Another pre-historic site s the two rocks resembling the fighting bull which stands a few kilometers off Wanyama beach in Rusinga Island. The stories go that the bull christened Nyama-Gi-Ware, representing the families of two brothers who are ancestors of the Waware and Wanyama sub-clans. One bull as the stories goes belonged to Mnyama while the other one belonged to his brother Ware. It is being alleged that the bull had fought fiercely until they enter into the lake waters while locked their horns and turned into permanent rocks erected inside the lake.

At a place called Soklo Kipenji, which is an island located off the Mirunda and Malela beaches I Lambwe Location, the story goes that the rock island is inaccessible by any human being. Travelers sailing from Rusinga Island to Homa-Bay town are always getting a forewarning not to ask about this mysterious island as their canoe, boats or dhow passes by the uninhabited island. A common and popular say goes that I the early 1930 two British tourist had made an attempt to land at the rocky island and all disappeared without trace to-date. Even local fishermen keep a safe distance from the rocky island while on their fishing expedition in nearby areas. The place, the local fishermen says even birds such as fish eagles and other kept away from.

Other potential spot for the possible development of tourist attractions includes the volcanic Lake Simbi Nyaima in Central Karachuonyo, which is also the center of attraction to lesser flamingoes and other migratory birds during certain period of the year.

Homa-Bay County is also endowed with abundance mineral resources such as the now disused Awuoro Mines in West Kisipul, Limestone in Lambwe Valley, the suspected uranium deposits in Gwassi and other parts of Suba region, gold, copper and nickels.

The region therefore required men and a woman of the highest caliber to man it is resources to generate revenues and good governance to be in place.

Ends

Uganda seemed to be toning down over Migingo Island and has asked its survey team to resume work so as to ease tensions

Leave a reply

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Ksumu City.

UGANDA appeared to have succumbed to heavy pressure mounted by Kenya on the need to have the dispute over Migingo Fishing Island in Lake Victoria resolved amicably.

This followed the recent harsh remarks by Kenyan leader castigating Kampala for having unilaterally seized the islands, which they knew were right on the Kenyan side of the border.

According to a statement released on Monday this week by the Permanent Secretary in the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs James Migume, the Ugandan Minister for Land and Housing Daudi Migereko flew into the Kenyan capital, Nairobi on Monday on a mission to meet with his Kenyan counterpart James Orengo to set up a joint technical team to tackle the issue.

The two controversial islands of Migingo and Ugingo, each measuring an acre and half in Lake Victoria, have been the subject of heated dispute between the governments for years, and most recently since 2008.

Experts from both sides will immediately begin work to determine the exact position of the border between the states using concessions already agreed upon by the leaders of the two nations.

President Yoweri Museveni and Prime Minister Raila Odinga had agreed that the survey be resumed in order to ensure continuity of the cordial relationship between Kenya and Uganda.

Kenya and Uganda together with Tanzania are the founder member of the East African Community an economic unit that also groups Rwanda and Burundi with its secretariat based in the Northern Tanzanian City of Arusha.

Both governments are therefore expected to take into account their commitment to the EAC and the relationship between the countries as the border survey gets underway.

Mugume said the technical team will initially work on logistical for the survey covering equipment and experts that could be needed in the survey work.

The experts will use the Kenya’s constitution of 1963, and Ugandan constitution of 1995 and an array of British colonial maps in addition to the physical survey to determine the position of the Uganda border. Kenya has been persistently protesting Uganda seizure f the two islands and hoisting of its national flag on the disputed islands.

When the dispute heightened last year the two governments agree to conduct a joint survey so as to establish and determine the ownership of Migingo Island, which was then one in dispute. Both governments contributed million s of shilling for the work. But the Uganda team pulled out and abandoned the work after the preliminary reports showed that Migingo was several meters inside Kenya side of the Lake Victoria waters, saying they were going to consult their bosses in Kampala, but never returned to-date. Kenya team continued with their work and completed their side.

At the same time Kenya MPs representing constituencies neighboring the lake have been pressing the government so hard, urging it to secure the islands by means of force, They consider Uganda’s action as an act of the declaration of war. But the government has been playing it cool insisting that there is other avenues f having the matter sorted out amicably.

President Mwai Kibaki has been in the forefront advocating for peaceful resolution of the conflict insisting that the government would use diplomatic means to resolve the issue, adding that Uganda was a friendly neighbor and big and reliable business partner.

But on June 1st this year while addressing a mammoth crowd which attended this year’s Madaraka Day anniversary at the Nyayo National Stadium, President Kibaki reiterated that Migingo and Ugingo Islands were in Kenya and therefore the property of the Republic of Kenya.

He repeated the same while addressing thousands of mourners in Ndhiwa constituency last Sunday during the burial of Mzee Michael Ojode Otieno, the father o the Assistant Minister for Internal Security Joshua Orwa Ojode at Ratang’a in Kwabwayi Central Location in Ndhiwa district only a few kilometers to the shoreline of Lake Victoria.

The Prime Minister Raila Odinga who also was among the principal speakers disclosed that Kenya would send a strong delegation consisting of the Internal Security Minister Prof.George Saitoti, Minister for Lands and Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs James Orengo and others to tackle the issue with their Ugandan counterparts and seek for lasting solution.

But as the issue of Migingo was still boiling up, Uganda moved northward and seized another Island. This time it was Ugingo and posted more security personnel most of them marine police to protect the Ugandan businessmen and fishermen who moved in and began erecting houses on it.

On e morning early this month, a Kenya Army Helicopter made a reconnaissance flights flying low over Migingo while its crew were seen taking aerial photographs as the chopper circled over the tiny island. The next two days, Uganda moved in fresh men with heavy military equipment an even beefed up the number f its marine police from 10 to 40.

Kenyan fishermen and fish traders were not allowed to construct their houses on Ugingo, though the Ugandan traders could be seen cruising in speed boats to do shopping for building materials, particularly corrugated iron sheets and timber from Kenyan businessmen off-shore at Karungu Bay and Muhuru Bay. This is due to logistic problems as the nearby Ugandan trading center or town is ten hours voyage whereas it takes only one hour or less to reach the mainland Kenya.

Ends

leodera@yahoo.com

Uganda has dispatched more security personnel to the two disputed fishing islands in Lake Victoria

Leave a reply

Writes Leo Odera Omolo

PERHAPS alarmed by the tough talking by Kenyan leaders who include President Mwai Kibaki and MPs and last week’reconnaince flight staged by Kenyan military helicopter which flew over the two disputed Lake Victoria islands,Uganda is reported to have beefed its security personnel.

Travellers and fish traders who came out of the two disputed islands of Migigo and Ugingo have reported spotting the arrival of close to 30 more marine police over the weekend.

The new arrivals of men in military uniform, they said have brought with them military equipment including anti-aircraft rackets and heavy guns. They arrived in a speed boat from either Jinja or Kampala and took position on the islands.

Kenyan fishermen said Ugandan security personnel continued controlling the two islands in Lake Victoria despite President Kibaki insistence that the islands lie squarely on the Kenya side of th lake.

Juma Ombori who is serving as the Migingo Island Beach Management Unit confirmed by phone that a senior Ugandan army officer has called on Ugandan businessmen and fishermen living in Migingo and Ugingo islands to ignore the reports of outbursts by Kenyan leaders.

He said Kenyan fishermen and fish traders sharing the two fishing island were also told not to expect any change on the islands and that they must continue obeying the rules and regulations set by Ugandans or else they would be kicked out.

The senior army officer, according to Juma Ombori insisted that the situation would only change with the joint official announcement from Nairobi and Kampala simultaneously. The officer whose names was not given had told Kenyans that Ugandan business will continue with the construction in Ugingo and others will cross to Kenyan mainland towns of Sori in Karungu By, Muhuru Bay in search of building materials because the next large commercial town on Uganda’s mainland is far way and travellers needed ten hours to cruise in a voyage through the lake using boats, so the nearby places they can purchase the constructions materials are the two Kenyan lake side towns.

Three fisheries officials sent by Uganda to the Island from Bugiri as well as about40 marine police officers went on with their operations as usually ,seemingly undisturbed.

Kenyan fishermen have asked the government to stop making empty statements in Nairobi and Migori if they want to resolve the row over the ownership of the two islands. Such pronouncements usually endangered the lives of Kenyan fishermen living on the two islands as Ugandan armed security personnel always react angrily.

Statement made in Nairobi or even carrying out aerial survey by Kenyan military helicopter as it happened last week will not make Ugandans leave the islands, one Ugandan officer told Kenyans.

Addressing a mammoth crowd of Kenyans who thronged the Nyayo National Stadium in the capital, Nairobi on June ist to commemorate the 48th Madara Day anniversary celebrations, President Mwai Kibaki assured Kenyan that the islands of Migingo and Uhgingo lie squarely on Kenyan territory.

He said the government would provide its citizens with the maximum security.”I wish to assure Kenyans that the islands of Migingo and Ugingo lie squarely on Kenyan territory in Lake Victoria.There should, therefore, be no cause for alarm on this issue,” he added

President Kibaki said the government would opt for diplomacy rather than use of force to resolve with dispute with its neighbors.

“My government is committed to providing security to every Kenyan.We have intensified border patrols along our frontier to contain any forms of crimes.”

The dispute between Kenya and Uganda over Migingo Island began way back in 2009 when Uganda lid claim to the fish-rich rocky island, which is very close to the Kenyanb mainland, but takes ten hours to travel to the nearby Ugandan mainland town.

A survey carried out found that the two neighboring island are 510 metres inside Kenya territory, in an are situated east of Kenya Uganda border.

Meanwhiletwelve Kenyan fishermen arrested at Osieko beach, Bondo district in Siaya County, by Ugandan authorities were on Sunday released after being held for more than 24 hours at Sigulu Island in Uganda.

Bondo DC Salim Muhamum confirmed and said the 12 were released on Sunbday morning after being grilled by the Ugandan security forces for trespassing into their territory and using illegal fishing nets,which are not alowd on the Ugandan side of the lake.

The D.C said four boats belonging to the fishermen were impounded by Ugandan during the operation.Th boats were towed to Sigulu Iusland in Uganda where they were still be held.

Fishermen who managed to escape said the boats were taken with fish catches that the fishermen had harvested from traps laid at night..

According to the fishermen on the beach, marine police officers from Bugiri have been patrolling the beach for 24 hours. At some time, civil society members have vowed to lead a protest match against the posting of Ugandan security officers at Migingo and Ugingo islands.

Ends

Kenya & Uganda: Prsident Kibaki talks tough about Uganda’s illegal occupation of fishing islands in Kenya waters

1 Reply

Writes Leo Odera Omolo in Kisumu

PRESIDENT Mwai Kibaki yesterday gave a ray of hope to the communities living along the shore of Lake Victoria when for the first time went public and acknowledged that the two islands of Migingo and Ugingo are actual part of Kenya’s territorial waters.

Addressing a huge crowd which gathered at the Nyayo Nation Stadium to mark the 48th anniversary celebrations of “Madaraka Day”,the Kenyan Head of State emphatically and categorically declared “Migingo and Ugingo islands in Lake Victoria are in Kenya and that the government will use diplomatic means to free them from Uganda’s illegal occupation.

The President statement cam amid reports that the Ugandans have seized the second Island called Ugingo, which is located just a few kilometers from the controversial Migingo Island, and that Ugandan businessmen were busy erecting building on it using corrugated iron sheets, The reports says the Ugandan authority have already posted a dozen of armed marine police to guard the island.

However, Kenyan members of Parliament differed sharply with President Kibaki’s contention that the country would pursue the peaceful means through diplomacy to regain the control of the lost islands.

The want force used to solve border dispute and not diplomacy. They made this clear on Thursday night during hushed debate as Foreign Assistant Minister Richard Onyonka said Preside Kibaki will soon make decision to secure Kenya’s borders if diplomacy fails.

“The Commander-In-Chief will make a decision when the time comes otherwise we are on our guard for now,” the Assistant Minister told the MPs.

Onyonka pleaded with the MPs for patience saying Kenyan should use law and diplomacy before opting for military force.

Onyonka argued that Kenya strongly valued its position in the East Africanb Community and its relations with neighbors and that fighting might jeopardise this.

The Minister spoke after President Kibaki said disputed Migingo and Ugingo Islands were on Kenyan territory.

Juja MP William Kabogo was so blunt. He said how can they claim the islands belonging to Kenya yet Uganda security forces remain on the Island?

Nominate MP Musa Sirma asked,”How can you deal with Uganda in a diplomatic way when it is dealing with us carelessly?.

Makadara MP Gideon Mbuvi {Sonko} was ordered to withdraw and apologise remarks he made that he has a squad of youth in Nairobi who only need to be armed to secure Kenyan borders.

Nominate MP Ms Millie Odhiambo asked if Kenyan should set up their own militia to secure the islands.

The Minister said the government was aware of cross border crimes and dispute with Uganda over Migingo was not the only case.

Ms Odhiuiambl and Budfalangi MP Ababu Namwamba re the two MPs who belonged to the communiy loving along the Kenya-Uganda borders on Lake Victoria. Odhiambo hail from Rusinga Island while Namwambva hail from Bunyala in Budalangi constituency in Busia County in Western Prorinvcde an area which is also bordering Uganda extending into the Lake Victoria.

Kibaki pronouncement abut the two disputed island was well received in Kisumu and other parts of the Lake region where the communities depend n fishing and fish trade for their daily breads.

Kenyan fishermen, according to report merging from the area are not allowed by Ugandan to erect any building on the island, and were kept at bay by he armed Ugandan security personnel.

Kibaki broke his long silence over the disputed ownership of the twin fishing islands in Lake Victoria, the world second largest sweet waters lake, which is shared between Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Tanzania has the lion’s share it owned 52 per cent while Uganda 42 per cent with Kenya owning only 6 per cent, mainly along the Nyanza Gulf [previously known as Kivirondo Gulf}.

“I wish to reassure all Kenyans that the two Islands of Migingo and Ugingo lie squarely in Kenyan territorial waters in Lake Victoria. There should be no cause for alarm,” he added.

Kibaki told the cheering audience that security patrol had been stepped up along the country’s frontiers with the neighboring states.

Uganda claims Migingo and Ugingo islands and has since stationed marine police officers to guard the twin islands in total defiance of Kenya’s persistent complaints and opposition to its move.

Migingo’s wealth lies in its proximity to some of the richest remaining deep water fishing places inside Lake Victoria.

Kenyans living on the twin islands have often complained of harassment and that are forced to pay taxes to Uganda so a s to be allowed to go fishing in Lake Victoria.

President Kibaki assurance to the country over security also comes in the wake of the recent killing of 40 Kenyans pastoral community of the Turkana by Merille militias who crossed the border from Ethiopia in early May.

The killing raised tension and criticism of Kenya’s defense forces when the Prime Minister Raila Odinga visited the bolder region in the north and accused the military of failing to secure the country’s borders.

Since the killings President Kibaki and the Prime Minister of Ethiopia Meles Zenawi have met twice.

“We should always remember that Kenya is the biggest promoter of regional integration and had always aspired to live harmoniously with our neighbors.”

“A peaceful region holds much promise for out people who have the greatest potential for our people who have the greatest potential to do business and get jobs across our borders, “said the President.

In his call for diplomacy to end conflicts with the neighboring states, the President assured Kenyans that his government would pursue all the issues through diplomacy to their peaceful conclusions.

Kenya is also facing direct threat by the al-Qeda backed Islamic militias in the neighboring Somalia who on many occasions have issued a threat to attack Kenya for supporting the Transitional Federal Government in Mogadishu.

Ends

Kenya: Plenty of fish in Kiambu ‘but no one to buy’

2 Replies

From: Salah Sheikh
Date: Tue, May 10, 2011 at 3:47 AM
Subject: What Judge Mchelule told Kiplagat

“He cannot sit in judgment when the issues are being discussed. Justice will cry if he were allowed to sit in judgment, be a witness and an accused all at the same time. My advice is that he should do the honourable thing.”

Justice Aggrey Muchelule

—————–

From: maurice oduor
Sent: Tue, May 10, 2011 10:40:31 AM
Subject: Re: For me this is still bad politics

Okapu Janeko,

This is what politics has done to our country. We have things going to wrong places because of political considerations. Look at car assembly or manufacturing. This industry uses a lot of water and in Kenya should be situated around Lake Victoria. But where were these industries taken to during Kenyatta? Thika of course.

While the East african countries were forming a trading block which would mean more air travel between them, the Moi government was expanding and modernizing the Eldoret Airport instead of the Kisumu one since Kisumu is centrally located in E Africa.

Next thing we’ll have a coconut processing factory in Njoro !!! And a wheat processing plant in Lamu !!

Go figure !!

Courage,
Oduor Maurice Wod Ugenya Ukwala

Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network

—————–

From: Okapu Janeko
Date: Tue, 10 May 2011 10:27:40 +0300
Subject: RE: For me this is still bad politics

Jakamburi,

Why would the government after so many years install a full blown plant in Kiambu and nothing as yet in Kisumu or the shores of lake victoria up to port Victoria and sio Port including Mbita point,Homabay Muhuru bay, Sindo and evenDunga

—————–

Subject: Re: For me this is still bad politics
From: mauricejoduor@ . . .
Date: Tue, 10 May 2011 07:23:08 +0000

Ja’Kamburi thura,

Isn’t marketing Kenya’s products the duty of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry? Or which ministry wanawajibika to do this? I find it interesting that fish has no market when a lot of countries are exporting fish to Europe and the Middle East.

Is there an agency/parastatal charged na wajibu huu?

Courage,
Oduor Maurice Wod Ugenya Ukwala

Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network

—————–

From: “Eric W. Mburi”
Date: Tue, 10 May 2011 07:13:03 +0000
Subject: For me this is still bad politics

Plenty of fish in Kiambu ‘but no one to buy’

Fish farmers harvest their catch in Tetu. Photo/FILE

By NATION CORRESPONDENT
Posted Monday, May 9 2011 at 16:41

Tonnes of fish worth millions of shillings are being held by farmers in Kiambu County due to lack of market.

About 4,000 farmers from eight districts in the county said since the project was launched through the Economic Stimulus Package last year, they have no market for their fish.

Mr John Njuguna, the chairman of Kiambu Fish Farmers Association also said they have no harvesting equipment such as nets.

“Most farmers have eight-month-old fish, which is the recommended rearing period but we do not have fishing nets or market for the fish,” Mr Njuguna said.

He attributed the difficulty in marketing to poor fish consumption by local communities.

Early this year, Kiambu District fisheries officer Raphael Kasio said the government was planning to put up a fish processing plant in the area at a cost of Sh5 million.

The factory, he said, would have a cooling plant, storage, transport as well as a marketing department.

Mr Kasio also said they is a huge market for fish, but added that his office was facing challenges connecting farmers with potential buyers.

Mr Josiah Mureithi, a fish farmer in Thindigua village said many fish farmers have now abandoned their ponds.

“Extension officers never come to check on our progress, birds are eating the fish and tadpoles have invaded the ponds,” Mr Mureithi said.

Ja’kamburi

Kenya: Man is being hospitalised after savage attack by a ferocious crocodile

Leave a reply

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

A fisherman is recuperating at the New Nyanza General Hospital, Kisumu after he was attacked by a ferocious crocodile while fishing in Lake Victoria.

The incident occurred at Omia Mwalo village in Central Asembo Location, Rarieda Constituency, Rarieda district within Bondo County.

Maurice Ouma Omire had gone fishing along the lake’s shoreline when the reptile struck and tried to drag him away deep into the lake. His colleague braved the attack and hit the crocodiles head repeatedly until the animal disentangled from the jaws of the animal. The victim sustained injuries – – a badly devoured and damaged leg. The cases of wild animals attacking and even killing residents along the shoreline of Lake Victoria are on alarming increase. On the neighboring Rusinga Island, there is a record of attack by Hippos reported of having killed five people within the last two years.

Experts say the Hippo have become more wild and ferocious following the disappearance of green pasture which they usually feeds on.

There have been numerous reports whereby Hippo have attacked domesticated animals and even killed cows along River Kuja, which is the natural boundary between Ndhiwa and Uriri constituency.

An Assistant minister for Internal Security Joshua Orwa Ojode, is amongst the victims. He had lost two cows killed by crocodile when his herds of cattle ware taken for watering in Kuja River. The river traverses the MP’s farm and it is only a kilometer from his Unga village home in East Kanyamwa/South Kabuoch location boundaries.

Coun, Adongo of East Asembo called upon the government and KWS officials to combat the area and to ensure that hippos and crocodiles are driven away. A clause in the Kenya Wildlife Services Act stipulates that any citizen attacked, injured or killed by wild animal is entitled for compensation But in another not related incident, two young boys who were early this month attacked and injured by crocodile in Mwingi district, will not be paid compensation, and the KWS official argued that the boys had stayed into a game reserved conservancy area.

The two boys aged, between 16 and six years old, were savagely attacked by a killer crocodile while watering their goats in a place called Ikome. The boys, two brothers had strayed into the crocodile infested Tana River two weeks ago. The newspaper have quoted the KWS officer in-charge of the Mwingi North district Mr Fredrick Owino said that the boys had broken the law by venturing deep into the game park, a restricted areas.

Owino who previously was in-charge of KWS station in Tseikuru said the attack happened in a restricted area thereby denying the victim of any compensation payment.

The government, he said, cannot pay compensation to people who encroached deep into the game reserves. He cited a man who in 2009 was killed by a Jumbo {Elephant} in the same area was never paid compensation.

“This is a clear case, that anyone who ventured into game animals infested areas and get injured or killed are considered as the offender and therefore deserves no compensation payment.

The two brothers were Mwangani Mtunga 15 and his younger brother Mutia. They miraculously escaped at the jaws of a ferocious killer crocodile and were hospitalized for two weeks. Their father had already lodged a letter seeking compensation for his school going sons. The incident occurred on April 9, 2011. Mutunga is a standard two pupils at Ikome Primary School, while his younger brother is attending a nearby nursery school.

Ends

Kenya: Many parts of Luo-Nyanza are experiencing acute food grains shortage as hunger looms large

Leave a reply

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

FARMERS and members of the general public in Nyanza Province are in a great panic as the result of the expected crops failure following non-arrival of the long rains in parts of the region.

This year’s rains arrived on time towards the end of March and in early April, but shortly disappeared after the farmers who had already cultivated their fields and ready for planting.

The scarcity of the rains has since sent the prices of food grains skyrocketing to levels unaffordable by local peasants. Two kilograms of un-grinded maize has jumped from 70/- to 120 in many parts of the region. This is considered the highest in a region where the capital of the ordinary people is rather low, forcing some families to go without food for a day or two.

If the rains fail to fall within the next two weeks, then close to 800 people would face a serious hunger and require famine relief food, something which is unusual in the culture of the people of Luo-Nyanza who believes in self-sufficiency in food for domestic consumption.

Experts say that if the rains don’t come within the next two weeks, the region could be plunged into a big famine within the next four months.

The worse hit area in the low laying locations along the shoreline of Lake Victoria which has yet to experience the downfall ever since the first week of April this year.

A survey carried out by this writer revealed that many parts of the region will go without food grains if there will be insufficient t rainfall up to the first week of May. A long rain in Nyanza usually arrives around the first week of April and continues until middle of June or at times extends up to the beginning of July.

The Areas which have experienced inadequacy of rainfalls this season include Lower Nyakach, Eastern, Central and Western Karachuoyo, Kochia, Gem, Central, and West Kanyada in Asego Division of Rangwe, All are within the Homa-Bay County.

Also affected are areas in Rarieda constituency, which are usual get the highest yields of food grains like Uyoma., Asembo. It is the same phenomenon in Kisumu west district, which covered Seme locations.

Other areas facing the looming famine include the two fishing island of Rusinga and Mfangano. The situation is likely to extend to the neighboring constituencies of Gwassi, Nyatike and even the lower part of Uriri.

Passengers travelling from Kisumu to Homa-Bay could easily spot maize crops burnt by humidity situation in the entire Rachuonyo North district stretching from Nyakwere to Oluch-Nyangweso along the Karachuonyo Rangwe borders.

The hunger situation is partly aggravated in that the region had crop failure last season. The government’s recently clamping down a total ban on Omena fishing worsening the situation from bad to worse. The ban will extend for three months from April to July, and the Fisheries Ministry says this will give Omena the smallest fish, but economically important to the rural folk sufficient time for breeding.

The ban has provoked harsh reactions from local politicians who felt it was undesirable, particularly at this time around when the areas affected are facing acute food shortage and want the government to rescind its decision.

The trio issued separate statements arguing that owing to the present pathetic situation of acute food grain shortage in the region the fishing of Omena and its sales should be allowed to continue for the sake of the survival of the residents.

The trio include the Karachuonyo MP Eng.James K Rege, Nyatike MP Edick Omondi Anyanga and the ODM party youth coordinator Hilary Ochieng’Alila.

In the upper areas of the greater Southern Nyanza, it has been raining, but sparsely in areas like Kasipul-Kabondo, Rangwe, Ndhiwa, Rongo, Uriri and Migori district. But the rains are also still inadequate for the new corps to flourish in the field.

Other leaders have appealed to the residents to plant the roots yielding crops such as sweet potatoes, cassavas etc for heir survivals. Clergymen have been conducting vigorous, but session of prayers in churches for the rains to come.

Ends

Kenya & Uganda: Can’t Kenya protect its own?

Leave a reply

from A.E.O OGWELL

People

Am suddened to read that Kenyan fishermen were lynched in Uganda.

Is our government completely unable to protect what is Kenyan and Kenya’s?

Migingo is still in the hands of foreigners; our fishermen are harased everyday, now some are killed. Yet those we pay to protect us do nothing kabisa! The government has even handed over Kenyans to foreign authorities (USA, Uganda etc)

What ails this government that it is unable, or doesnt want to protect its own?

Pray someone tell me!

Ahmed

Kenya: Politicians in Nyanza protest against the closing down of fishing in Lake Victoria

1 Reply

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City..

The government of Kenya, through the Ministry of Fisheries, has announced that it would close the fishing in Lake Victoria with effect from first April, 2011.

The plan to close down the fishing business in Lake Victoria for three months has, however, elicited vehement opposition by politicians who have pleaded with the government ton rescind its decision owing to long period of drought and the prevailing famine conditions in most part of lowland location neighboring the lake.

A Homa-Bay politician Hilary Ochieng’ Alila argued that there is acute shortage of food grain, and the planned closing down of fishing business in the Lake Victoria would hurt the residents most.

Many families, especially those living in lowland location along the shoreline of Lake Victoria, are experiencing food shortage. The government should therefore withdraw its plan and allow the fishing to go on, particularly the fishing of “Omena” (ndaga}, which is the common food for the down graded members of the society.

The closing of fishing in Lake Victoria, which will be in effect from Ist April to July 31st, would hurt the locals and hit them below the belt. ”The consumers will have to miss the delicacy of Omena”.

The announcement was made by an Assistant Director of Fisheries Michael Obadha when he addressed a workshop of fisheries officials, experts and stakeholders from East, Southern, Central Africa as well as from Caribbean and Pacific nations in Kisumu City. He said the ban would remain in force unless lifted by the Fisheries Minister Amson Kingi.

“We have received messages of concern from fishermen and fish traders that we should lift the ban because of the recent prolonged drought, but that will depend on the Minister’s decree,” said Obadha.

But Alila who is the ODM youth coordinator countered back by saying that “This is a people’s government and it must yield and obliged when the situation calls for the continuation of fishing program in order to assist the poor families that depend entirely on fishing and fish trade.”

Alila who is a leading contestant in the Homa-Bay County Senate seat race urged the government to withdraw the banning notice, saying there is acute shortage of food grain and people who depends on fishing and fish trade would be hurt the most.”There was a crop failure in most part of Nyanza and the people are surviving mostly on fishing and fish trade as their outlet for cash which in turn they are using for buying food.

Omena the smallest fish which is also used in putting ingredient into animal feeds is the cheapest and affordable food for the down trodden people.

Pronouncing the ban, Obadha said the research, conducted on fish movement and breeding, shows that the peak of fish breeding season comes with the long rain, which have began in some parts of the country, hence the fishing ban. During the same period also coincides with the breeding of the economically important Nile perch and tilapia and other species.”And if fishermen are allowed to catch Omena, they were likely to end up catching other juvenile species.”

“This is why we are keen to enforce the ban during the rain season to forestall possible destruction f the breeding grounds.”

He made the announcement amid fear by fishermen of a possible economic strangulation against the local communities..

Each year, thousands of Omena fishermen are thrown out of business and trade by the ban and several sent to prison for illegally fishing in the lake despite of closure of the lake.

The Kisumu workshop had drawn participants from regional organizations, experts from Caribbean, central, east and southern Africa

The expert said that the ban if applied strictly would enhance re-stocking of the dwindling species. They said fishermen should view the ban-as a measure of sustainability, without destroying its diversity and ecosystem.

But fishermen lead by the National Beach Management Unit chairman Tom Guda appealed to the government to reconsider a waiver citing the recent drought. He added that the move will negatively affect the regions economy since brake in Omena could be felt by many Kenyans.

Ends

EU & EAST AFRICA: KSHS 3.6 BILLION FOR FISHERIES ALONG LAKE VICTORIA REGION.

Leave a reply

By Agwanda Jowi

European Union has disbursed over three million Euros (Sh. 3.6 billion) for the management of fisheries along Lake Victoria region in a four year project that will benefit East Africa countries.

The funds are part of the 30 million Euros disbursed by European Union under 9th European development fund aiming at strengthening fisheries management in Africa Caribbean Pacific countries.

The project funded under, ACP 2 aims at improving fisheries management in the ACP countries so as to ensure that fisheries resources occurring in the waters within the jurisdiction of these countries are sustainable exploited.

ACP 2 regional manager Koanne Mindjibika says during a workshop with stakeholders in Kisumu that the programme that will tackle over 32 regional and national fisheries projects will lead to alleviation of poverty and improved fish security within the East Africa region.

The regional manager says that the East Africa region project will be implemented under five components both targeting improvement of fisheries.

Kenya assistant director of fisheries Michael Obadha says the first phase of the project will cost over 1 million Euro and second phase due to start in November this year will cost over 2.3 million Euros.

Obadha says so far over 40 beach management unit have benefited from the programme in terms of training and 280 more will under go a similar training as the projects get underway.

He says that the ACP2 will address the gains in the ACP1 and introduce new aspects that were not addressed in the first component of the programme.

Ends

Kenya: Residents of Suba region told to convert the fish by-products to process animal feeds

Leave a reply

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Mbita Town.

Residents of Suba region, especially those living in Gwassi and Mbita districts in Homa-Bay County should invent new methods of making animals feed using the fish by-products, which are found in abundance in the area.

This is one way of reducing poverty index which is the highest in the entire Homa-Bay County. Such projects would also contribute immensely towards the eradication of poverty and creation of new jobs for the youths.

These remarks were made at the weekend by Hilary Ochieng’ Alila, a Nairobi based businessman who is also the coordinator of the ODM youths in Luo-Nyanza.

He said akot of fish by-products goes to wasteinstead of eing utikize for the economic gains of the residents.

Alila was speaking during a successful fund drive for Powo SDA Church in Kaksingiri Sindo in Gwassi district where a total of Kshs 175,000 was realized. The money will be utilized in the development an construction of the Powo SDA Church.

He told the congregation that fish by-products such as residues of fillets from the much prized Nile perch and omena {ndaga} could be converted into nutritious animal feeds. This could necessitate the establishment of various animals’ feeds processing plants along the lowland laying location bordering the shorelines of Lake Victoria instead of exporting such raw materials to big towns like Nakuru and Naiobi, Kisumu or Eldoret for the same purpose.

He said Homa-Bay County could strike it rich if all its natural resources, which include minerals and scenery for tourists attractions could be taped and put to a proper use. And this could also generate wealth and reduce the poverty index considerably.

Alila was accompanied by the former MP for Gwassi Hon Felix Nyauchi and a large number of ODM youth leaders from Karachuonyo, Kasipul-Kabondo, Rangwe, Mbita, Gwassi and Ndhiwa constituencies.

He urged the youths who have attained the ages of 18 to take the national identity cards to enable them to register as voters. By doing so you will make our beloved party leader Raila Amolo Odinga realizes his presidential ambition in the year 2012. Many youth in the region have not take up their national identity card, which is an important component of securing voting cards when the registration of voters commences.

He said the ODM is confidence of winning the next general election and forming the next government on its own and not amorphous coalition.

He told the youth to work hard by assisting their parents cultivate land for the planting of cash minting crops like cotton, and to avoid the bad habit of roaming while spreading deadly rumors against the elected leaders. “Hard work is the key not to success and not the empty political slogans and gossips,” he added.

Alila who has already declared his interests in the Homa-Bay County Senate seat hail from Rapedhi area of Ndhiwa district and is the second son of the prominent teachers and long-serving KNUT branch executive Secretary for the old lager South Nyanza district branch. His father the late Nelson Onyango Alila was also a sports personality having served in the Southern Nyanza KFF and at one time a fine footballer.

Ends

Kenya: Prominent contractor want to be deputy governor in Homa-Bay County

4 Replies

Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

A communication expert who is now an enterprising building contractor in Nyanza and Western Provinces has declared his interest in contesting for the position of deputy governor in the Homa-Bay County comes the year 2012.sting.

Jeremiah Achilla-Gogo, aged 50 years was born in a political house of the late Joseph Gogo Ochok who in the late 1950 was one of the founder of the defunct South Nyanza District Political Association {SINDAPA} and served as the association’s secretary general from its inception to the timer it was dissolved at the birth of KANU in 1960.

The late Ochok also contested Karachuonyo parliamentary seat in 1963 as the official KANU candidate, but lost to the late Elijah Omolo-Agar who had vied for the seat as an independent candidate.

Gogo said politics was in his blood, and that is why he has decided to contest for the less crowded position of the deputy governor.

Photo of Mr Jeremiah Achilla Gogo who wants to contest for deputy governor in Homa-Bay County

Gogo decried the falling standard of education in Luo-Nyanza, saying if elected he will work hand in hand with his other colleagues and officials from the Ministry of Education working in the field to ensure that the education standard in the region is restored to its former.

He also blamed the current legislators in the 10th parliament for not having adequately supervised the utilization of government revolving funds such as CDF in the best interest of the rural community.

The government has pumped millions of shillings through the CDF to assist the population living in the rural areas to spur development of essential service providing such as dispensaries, health centers, primary and secondary schools and other infrastructure in rural areas, but the fund has not been put into proper use.

Gogo said Homa-Bay County has a lot to offer to its residents, and there is an open avenue for raising the money it needs through taxation of the abundance natural resources, fishing, tourism and farming. People must be sensitized to redouble their effort in farming as one way of promoting wealthy and eradicating the poverty.”This one of the most important task the leaders should be involved.

He appealed to the electorate to vote wisely and make sure they elect only development conscious leaders with excellent past track-record of active participation in development activities and not sweet-talkers.

Gogo is a staunch member of ODM whose father was very close to the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga in the old Nyanza political derby of the 1960s and 1970s.
He said if given a chance to serve as the deputy governor by the electorate he will work hard with other elected leaders to improve the lives of fishermen, groundnut and cotton farmers in the regions laying low along the shoreline of Lake Victoria.

And he will also work hard to promote tourism in the region as well as look for investors to open up exploration of minerals.

Ends

Kenya: The construction of multi billion shillings road network in Nyanza is commendable

9 Replies

Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

RESIDENTS of Luo-Nyanza are overwhelmed with joy and highly appreciate the government initiative and efforts being put in the construction of ultra modern road network across the region.

The construction work on several important road links are currently taking places in various parts of Nyanza Province and are considered by the residents as significant steps for the development of the region, which for many years was marginalized by successive KANU regimes of the past.

Roads currently under the construction include the 25 kilometer Kendu-Bay-Homa-Bay road whose construction is already in advance stage and is expected to be opened before the end the year.

Another important road, which is currently under construction, is the 40 kilometer Homa-Bay Mbita road. The construction work is progressing well. This particular road is so important because it will link the rest of Kenya with the Ruma National Game Park,which is located at Lambwe Valley.

The road has some significance economically, because it will facilitate the easy transportation of fish from Mbita Point to the marketplaces on the mainland, and the one headed for processing in the various pants located in Kisumu, Homa-Bay and Nairobi, which are meant for export to the overseas markets.

Mbita Point is the largest fish landing beach in the region, where fresh fish from the smaller fishing islands scattered in Lake Victoria lands for eventual destination to market places in the main land. Other major fish landing beaches include Uhanya Beach in Bondo, Muhuru-Bay in Nyatike, Karungu-Bay in Nyatike, Nyandiwa and Kisegi in Gwassi, Misori and Luanda Kotieno in Rarieda and Usenge in Bondo.

Lack of fish preservation cold store is the other nightmare because fish is a perishable commodity, which must be transported outside to its market place as quickly as possible soon after it is land. Cold storage facilities are rare and could only be fond in Mbita Town.

The Homa-Bay -Mbita road will also open up the interior part of the Suba region, particularly the sceneries and pre-historic sites on the two islands of Rusinga and Mfangano, Gwassi Hills and Gembe areas.

The major repair work on the Katito-Kendu-Bay road was completed early last year. It now will give the motorist a quick drive between Nyakach and Karachuonyo and eventually to Homa-Bay.

There is however, the need to have the Oyugis –Kendu-Bay tarmacked in order to crown the region with a better road communication network.

Another road which needs to be constructed is the Muhuru-Bay Migori Town road. And the Oyugis-Rangwe road that could wind up at Rodi Kopany would be to the advantage of trade between Karungu-Bay and hinterland.

In Kisumu County all the access and feeder roads traversing the Nyando sugar belt are in pathetic conditions despite of the excess money being levied on sugar cane farmers by the Nyando County Council. It now takes a motorist to drive from Muhoroni Town via Chemelil Road close to three hours before reaching Kisumu due to the pathetic state f the road that runs through Miwani and Kibos cane growing zones.

Both Kisumu and Siaya Counties stand to benefit in getting major repair on Kisumu-Bondo-Usenge road, But the latest sensation, but significant development is the construction of the Ndori-Luanda Kotieno road, which now cut the travelling hours between Kisumu and Luanda Kotieno ferry by half. What remains to be done is the for the local entrepreneurs to construct good and tourist class hotels in strategic stop-over like Luanda Kotieno, Ndori and on both aside of the mainland and Rusinga Island at Mbita Point.

Motorists using the big four-wheel drives fuel guzzling vehicle could drive from Kisumu to Luanda –Kotieno in less than 50 minutes and catch up with the Mbita Ferry for another von voyage trip involving the crossing of the Nyanza Gulf from Rrieda to Mbita district. It traverses through the length of Uyoma peninsula, an area which has a lot in store for the tourists.

Plans are under the way for the planned construction of the Misori-Bondo-Siaya-Rang’ala road, which will be linked to the main Kisumu Busia Highway.

On realization of how important these road network for economic development of the region, local politicians have heaped a lot of praise to the coalition government and its principals. One such politician is Dr. Mark Matunga, an executive with Microsoft International who has declared his interest in the Homa-Bay County governor.

Matunga while thanking the Ministry of Roads urged the government to locate funds for the construction of Oyugis Rangwe – Rodi-Kopany road and also for the Oyugis-Kendu Bay road, adding that these two road links are so important for the Homa-Bay County because they are the best outlet for trades with the outside world.

Motorists using Kisumu Siaya road via Maseno and Luanda have also suggested that the repair work for the section of the road need to be carried out now. It is long over due.

Last year the Prime Minister Raila Odinga commissioned the short-but significantly important Ndori-Nyang’oma road, which will link visitors and tourists to the rural home of the Obama family in Alego Kogelo. The construction of the Obama cultural Center has commenced. The Center is being established in honor of the US President Barrack Obama who has the family root in the area.

There has been a big influx of visitors to the previously sleepy and dust village marker ever since the election of President Obama as the head of state in the US. Many visitors come there with the purpose of getting more information about President Obama ancestry and originality. Some of the development taking place in Siaya and its environs are likely to have a milestone changes in the pattern of development activities in the region, which also requires good roads communications.

The volume of trade in the region is also expected to be in the upward trend as the result of the improved road network. In the interior part of the region, the government revolving funds such as CDF and Road Maintenance funds are taking care of the feeder and access roads within the rural locations.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Kenya: Nyatike constituency is on the move and may soon realize the fastest development activities

12 Replies

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Karungu Bay, Migori County.

One of the recently created administrative districts, in greater southern Nyanza, which is currently on the move, is Nyatike.

Laying in the far end of the former greater Southern Nyanza and bordering Tanzania on the land and Uganda in Lake Victoria, Nyatike, is an area which is previously considered as the most backward in the region. It has had its own parliamentary constituency for the last 16 years ever since its separation from Ndhiwa in 1992.

In the first multi-party election, in 1992, Tobias Ocholla Ogur won the seat for the first time on a Ford Kenya party ticket. The party was then led by the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. Ogur, however, quickly made an about turn and crossed the floor back to the ruling KANU, and lost in the seat in the consequent by-election.

The NDP and then LDP supported and fronted the late Tom Onyango a petty kiosk trader in Migori town who carried the day.

The NDP and later LDP had swept the board clinching all the parliamentary and civic seats in Southern Nyanza.

In the general election of 1997, Ocholla Ogur bounced back and recaptured the seat of the defunct LDP party led by Raila Odinga. He successfully defended his seat in 2002, but performed dismally in the 2007 general election, and was beaten hands down by the youthful Edick Omondi Anyanga who appeared to have turned the previously sleeping constituency around.

Nyatike district previously had two administrative divisions, namely Karungu-Sori and Maclder. But it has now five division comprising of Got Kocholla, Kaler and Muhuru Bay Divisions. The area has a full pledged DC, DO I and district officers manning all the five divisions plus district heads of departments and all the government offices are functioning well.

Today Nyatike provide electricity supplies to all primary and secondary schools, market places and all the institutions. The area has the best rural feeder and access roads to the envious of other neighboring constituencies. This is perhaps because of the abrasive youthful and aggressive MP who has kept members of the local CDF committee on its toe.

On the education front, Nyatike beat all the other primary schools in the entire Migori County in last year CPE exam coming on top. This is due to the competitive nature of teaching initiated by the MP who is reported to be dishing out special gifts to teachers who performed well. The prizes include new suits, bicycles and other gifts. Earlier last year the MP had requested for teaching experts from other parts of the country who went to Nyatike for the purpose of carrying out refresher course for teachers through seminars and workshops.

Fishing and fish trade is the main economic mainstay in the constituency, which borders Tanzania on other main land and also a small portion on the Lake Victoria and Uganda in Lake Victoria. The disputed Migingo fishing island is believed by Kenyans to be part of Nyatike district, though Uganda had seized and posted its marine police to man the island to the chagrin of the local residents, who sees the government of Kenya for having failed them and abandoned them in the hand of hostile foreign occupying force.

The MP who is known to his peers as Omuk Lela {Rhino} has persistently demanded both in the August house and outside parliament that the Uganda security personnel said to be harassing about 500 Kenyan fishermen operating on the Migingo Island be driven out, and always scathingly criticized the government for its handling of the Migingo saga.

The shortage of fresh water for life will soon be over in Nyatike. Plans are under way for a major water project to be taken u by the UNICEF that will see the water piped from Lake Victoria and spread into the villages in Sori, Obware Secondary School and other nearby villages.

The water supplies will go beyond the constituency boundary and even benefit the residents of the neighboring Ndhiwa district. The residents are also said to be Liaoning with tourist operators in Nairobi with the view to ensure plans are earmarked for tourists to visit attractive tourist points in the region.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

KENYA: NATION’S LEADERS WANT GOVERNMENT TO INVEST MORE IN THE LAKE.

4 Replies

By Agwanda Jowi

Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo, together with seven Members of Parliament drawn from Lake Victoria region, are now calling upon the government to put more investment into the lake in order to spur economic growth of the region.

The legislators say that the potential in the lake region remains underexploited.

Midiwo says that the central government continues to collect billions of shillings annually, from the lake’s resources, but does no development in return.

He says it is time the government plough back some money to the lake to improve infrastructure and improve on its sustainability.

He says there is a need to open up a ring road along the lake, alongside electricity, to assist fishermen to preserve their fish and access markets in time.

The MPs, who spoke during a meeting organized by the Indigenous Fisher People’s Network in Kisumu, noted that the fishing policies must be implemented to restructure the fishing sector.

Hon. Oyugi Magwanga, MP for Kasipul Kabondo, noted that good polices which can rejuvenate the fishing sector are just lying on the shelves and so must be implemented.

Magwanga says that there is no point of passing more policies while the existing laws remain unimplemented.

MPs present were Ekwe Ethuro, Pollyns Ochieng, John Pesa, James Rege, and Martin Ogindo.

ENDS

KENYA & UGANDA: MIGINGO RESIDENTS PROTEST RAILA’S CAMPAIGN PRESENCE IN UGANDA

4 Replies

BY INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER.

KENYA’S Prime minister Raila Odinga’s move to attend presidential campaigns in Uganda on Wednesday this week has received protests from residents of the disputed Migingo Island who perceived the visit as a show of support to the country’s president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

The residents said for a long time they have looked up to Raila to use his position in government to help them resolve the boundary row, between Kenya and Uganda, which has seen the two east Africa states spend huge a mounts of money to reevaluate the boundary to end squabbles, pitting the Kenya fishermen residing at the tiny island against the Ugandan authorities, in vain.

Led by beach management unit officials at the island, the Kenyan fishermen said the presence of the prime minister was a huge disappointment and a let down for them, adding they have realised they have all along been hanging their hopes on false illusion.

”It is a pity to see a man we have hoped to be the one to come to our aid in ending the persistent harassment at the island can visit and campaign alongside the very government that has visited pain and suffering to poor Kenyans living at the island. We are really disillusioned. It is like our leaders have secret agendas which we do not know but pretend to back efforts to resolve the controversy over Migingo.” said one of the bitter leaders.

Currently. reports from the island indicates that fishermen collects up to 150,000 daily from the fish landed at the Island which they then hand over to the Ugandan marine police patrolling the island. The fishermen also take care of the officersm in terms of feeding and accommodation daily, even though they do not support continued stay of the Ugandans.

The fishermen have on several occasions complained of persistent harassment, in the hands of the Ugandan police, whom they they accused also of taking away their catch and fishing gears worth thousands of shillings.

On many occasions the Kenyan fisherman have pleaded with their government to intervene, but such pleas have been largely ignored, with the local government representatives only accusing the fishermen of violating Kenyan waters.

Even though Raila was quoted as pushing, during the Museveni rallies at Iganga in Eastern Uganda and Kigulu, for a stronger cooperation with Kenya within the EAC, many residents of Migingo continued to raise doubts over whether regional integration will materialise.

Speaking after a meeting with Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni at the state lodge in Jinja on Wednesday, the PM said close relations between Kenya and Uganda could quicken the consolidation of unity among the East African Community states.

The PM said the days of borders between the East African States are numbered, saying the region is moving towards a federation, and Uganda and Kenya could lead the way.

Raila has also been viewed as a rival of Museveni, and unconfirmed reports claimed foreign forces took part in the post election chaos that rocked Kenya, and was murky in Kisumu city where several youths were executed.

But during his visit Raila, said he admired the progress Uganda has achieved since the end of the brutal era of Idi Amin, and Kenya has something to learn on post -war integration.

He called for peaceful elections in February, saying a stable and a peaceful Uganda is good for Kenya.

” I call upon all Ugandans to uphold peace during the elections. Let us maintain the cordial relations between the two countries”, Raila was quoted as saying by the PM press service.

The two leaders committed to forge closer ties, with Museveni describing Raila as ”a brother in the struggle” while the PM acknowledged the support he received from the Ugandan president during the struggle for the second liberation in Kenya.

ENDS.

Kenya: Migingo Island dispute was subject of a heated debate in Kenyan parliament

Leave a reply

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The controversy surrounding the Migingo Island saga resurfaced in Kenya Parliament on Tuesday this week when some MPs accused Kenyan leaders who have visited Uganda recently, at the invitation of President Yoweri Museveni, of sabotaging the Kenyan government’s effort to have the matter resolved amicably.

The debate kicked off during question time after the Gwassi MP, John Mbadi, whose constituency together with that of Nyatike, had protested that the government was being insensitivity in protecting its citizens from foreign occupation police forces.

The MP claimed the government was acting irresponsibly by not moving to protect its citizens. ”As per the past provisional agreement, both of the two governments, Kenya and Uganda, were to withdraw their security personnel from the disputed Migingo Island until a solution about the standoff is reached.”

Some MPs were of the opinion that various Kenyan leaders, who have been visiting Uganda in the recent past at the invitation of President Yoweri Museveni, were the ones sabotaging Kenya sovereign policy and interfering with its effort to reclaim Migingo Island on the Lake Victoria. These leaders are known to have been lavishly hosted by the Ugandan leader.

The government of Kenya came under scathing criticism for its poor handling of the Migingo saga. The MPs took the Assistant Foreign Minister, Richard Onyonka, to task over the alleged government’s haphazard handling of the Migingo saga that has left Kenyans on Migingo Island at the mercy of the foreign occupation police force.

Onyonka had told the House that the government of Kenya would insist on employing diplomacy instead of confrontational methods of seeking lasting solution to the Migingo dispute.

Imenti Central MP, Gitobu Imanyara, demanded the Minister explain if the leaders who have visited Uganda, discussed the Migingo Island issue while there.

“As a Ministry, we have not received any communication to that effect”, answered Onyonka.

The MPs demanded that the government of Kenya dispatche its own police officers to protect Kenyan within the Island and save them from persistent harassment by foreigners in their own land.

Onyonka further told the House that the joint efforts, by the Kenyan and Ugandan governments, to carry out a survey and fresh demarcation of the island, had flopped after the Ugandan team pulled out.

According to Onyonka, the Ugandan experts excused themselves to go back and seek further instructions, but never returned, forcing the Kenyan team also to suspend the exercise.

The Minister said the two governments have since then agreed that Uganda will host the next round of talks at a convenient time. The Kenya government is still waiting for an invitation.

A number of Kenyan politicians, especially those whose names are frequently being associated with the presidential candidates in the year 2012, have been trooping into Uganda at the invitation of President Museveni. Among the recent VUP to pay a brief visit to Uganda was the retired President Dai el Arap Moi. Such visits have irked the communities living close to the common border of the two countries, particularly the Luos living along the eastern shoreline of Lake Victoria, a community which is known to have no love lost for the Ugandan leader.

Others who visited Uganda recently include Gideon Moi and Nuck Salat, both of KANU, Kalonzo Musyoka, the Vice President, William Ruto, the MP for Eldoret North, and Eugene Wamalwa, the MP for Saboti who has already declared his interest in the presidency comes 2012.

This particular community of fishermen has the longest border with Uganda inside Lake Victoria, stretching from Bondo to Muhuru Bay on the Kenya Tanzania border. It is covering over 300 kilometers and the community is the one which has felt the heart of the conflict between Kenya and Uganda.

Museveni, while speaking in Dar Es Salaam, during the height of chaos in Kenya following the disputed presidential election results of December 2007, had referred to the Luos as mad people. He was also the first African Head of state known to have extended words of congratulations, and consequently recognized, President Mwai Kibaki, as the one who was duly elected, contrary to the election victory claimed by the Prime Minister Rala Odinga, himself a Luo tribesman, who was widely believed to have worn the presidential votes. Museveni even offered to reconcile the warring ODM and PNU parties, but his offer was out rightly rejected after he was accused of being a partisan

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Kenya: The County of Kisumu will be the nerve center of Western Kenya and hub of big businesses

5 Replies

County News Analysis By Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The newly created County of Kisumu is expected to be the nerve center of Western Kenya and at the same time the getaway to East and Central African countries of the East African Community member states.

The County, which is created under the new constitutional dispensation with a City equipped with an ultra modern newly expanded Airport is expected to be not only nerve center for the entire Western Kenya, but a major commercial link center between Kenya and other landlocked African states in the Great Lakes region.

The new counter covered six parliamentary electoral constituencies of Nyakach, Nyando, Muhoroni, Kisumu Town East, Kisumu Town West and Kisumu Rural. Two these constituencies namely Kisumu Town East and Kisumu Town West are cosmopolitan housing in nature multiracial and multi-ethnic societies.

It border Karachuonyo to the southwest, Kasipul-Kabondo to the south, Belgut to the surtheast, Ainamoi to the east, Tinderet to the northeast, Aldai to the north, Vihiga to the north, Emuhaya to the northwest,Gem in the northwest and Rarieda to the west.

The county most volatile area is its border between Nyakach and Belgut due to the re-emergence of dangerous cattle rustling, which has so far resulted in more than ten deaths within Upper and lowers Nyakach regions. Its other borders are quiet and life continued in the normal way.

The County is rich in fishing and fish trade with Kisumu City having close to three fish processing plants. There were more five such plants when the fish trade was booming a couple of years ago, but due to the scarcity of fish, some were forced to close down their business prematurely.

Fishermen are scattered along the eastern shore of Lake Victoria, especially in the Nyanza Gulf [formerly Kavirondo Gulf}. They are in Nyakach, Nyando, Kisumu Town, Kisumu Rural and Seme areas. This is one of the trades which can boost the economy of the City whose populations is being moderately estimated to be between 3 and 4 million people.ost of these people are peasant living in rural locations and the rest concentrates in the peri-urban areas of Obunga, Nyalenda,Pand-Pieri, Dunga,Manyatta and Kondele satellite cities.

The City, however, suffered the brunt of the 2008 post-election violence which saw the traders and businessmen suffering the heaviest losses, which experts had estimated to be in the region of Kshs 6 billion. The City has yet to recover fully from these orgies and madness as well as intensive looting and massive destruction of properties during the mayhem that followed the disputed presidential election result in December 2007.

Agriculturally, the County of Kisumu could be the richest administrative area in the defunct Nyanza Province. It is housing four of the now close to eight white sugar manufacturing factories in the country. These are Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries at Kibos in the outskirt of Kisumu City, the run-down Miwani Sugar Mills at Miwani, Chemelil Sugar Company at Chemelil and Muhoroni Sugar Company, which is located next to the Muhoroni town.

All these factories boost can boost the employment opportunities for close to 10,000 workers if they properly managed and functioning in accordance to their daily production capacity. More people could also be absorbed on income generating jobs as casuals and those indirectly employed at the existing plant.

Bu the poverty index in the region, is the highest especially along the Nyanza sugar belt which covers three administrative districts of Muhoroni, Nyando and partly Kisumu East.

This could be attributed to maladministration, mismanagement, massive corruption and poor planning prompting the residents of the sugar belt region to call for the hastened privatization of the sugar factories. Two of the factories Muhoroni and Miwani are currently under what was termed ten years ago as “protective Official Receivership” which forced Miwani to closedown.

The government also stands blamed for lack of a clear-cut policy towards resuscitation of the permanently ailing sugar industry, and turn it around to a vibrant industrial concern for the economic growth of the nation.

The Countyof Kisumu is also situated in an area well known for its rice production. The rice is produced in the two schemes at Ahero and Kabonyo Rice Scheme. The government through the Lake Basin Development Authority had secured a huge loan from the African Development Bank and used the money in established the rice plant at Kibos in the outskirt of Kisumu City.

The multi-million shilling Rice factory at Kibos is currently under used due to acute shortage of paddies.

So far a number of leading Luo personalities have come forward offering their candidatures for the various position of governance within the new County. Other s have declared their intention to contest the various slots presented by the new constitution.

The Senate seat for Kisumu County appeared to have attracted more personalities who included the the Nairobi based business magnate Eng.Maxwell Otieno Odongo of the Otieno Odongo and Partners Engineering firm.

The engineer-cum-high court lawyer, Eng.Otieno Odongo is also running chain of businesses including rice milling, posho milling, tourist class hotel at Homa-Bay and Kisumu Town and is also involved in large scale sugar cane farming in Kibos areas.

Other names being mentioned in connection to the Senate contest include that of a Nairobi architect and former Gor Mahia FC chairman Ocholla Ogoda, former Nyakach MP Peter Odoyo,

Former Kisumu Town East MP Eric Gor Sungu, Nyando politician Charles Aguko. Other rumors making the round to the effect that the Minister for Medical Services Prof. Anyang’Nyong’o is contemplating the possibility of switching from his current Kisumu Rural Parliamentary seat to the Senate. However, this rumor could not be confirmed.

In the position of covenanted County governor, several names have been floated as the possible contestants. They include that of Walter Kitoto Adel, a Kisumu businessman and a former trade unionist. Eric Opon Nyamunga, the immediate former Nyando Mp and at one time the managing director of the Kenya Railways Corporation, Ojuwang K’Ombudo the former Minister for Regional Development, and two times Nyakach MP.

K’Ombudo who is credited for having been the most efficient and long serving Kisumu Town Clerk is said to be a man equipped with administrative prowess, which is unmatched.

Another name which has hit the ground on the position of governor is that of a professional accountant Fred Otieno Wagah from Kano Kobura, who is working and living in the Unite States. Wagah is said to be a down to earth young man who could turn the County around if given chance. But he has yet to confirm if it is true he will be in the race. Also being menti9ned is the name of the Malindi Town Clerk Lumumba Ouya as the other possible aspirants for the position of governorship.

The County of Kisumu has the ready made tourist destination and sceneries, such as Dunga Beach. There are both the Yatch and Golf Clubs, which are located within a walking distant from the City’s Central Business District.

The City boost some of the ultra modern hotels of the tourist class, and many new medium size hotels that offers comfortable night accommodation to visitors. Other tourist attractions include Ndere Island which is housing close to 100 herds of Impala. A wildlife sanctuary is located within the city, which houses buffaloes, lions, leopard, hyenas and impalas.

Other center of attraction for visitors include the Kit-Mikaye famous rock in Seme, which is located only a few meters beside the main Kisumu Bondo highway and a distant of twenty minute drive.

The City is served by four highways, namely Kisumu-Ahero-Kericho road,Kisumu-Kakamega road, Kisumu Bondo road and Kisumu Busia road.

The water transport is also available in small motor boats, steamer and ships for both transportation of cargoes and passenger to any destination within the three countries of Kenya,Tanzania and Uganda that jointly owned Lake Victoria..

In the Port, the Kisumu Pier, though poorly maintained at the moment by the ailing Rift Valley Railways is still serving the landlocked nation in East and central African regions such as Uganda, northwestern Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Eastern DR Congo, and Southern Sudan and beyond.

All these facilities could be improved tremendously if the right people, are put on the County of Kisumu governance and these are some of the reasons why the residents are calling upon perennial election losers and other politicians to keep off the County affairs.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com