Reports Leo Odera Omolo.
Police in Nyanza have received speed boat which will be used in their regular patrol of the Kenyan side of Lake Victoria.
The new and modern speed boat christened “MV Utawala”was handed over to the Administration Police at the Kisumu Pier on Tuesday by the Nyanza P.C Francis Mutie in a ceremony which was also attended by the Provincial Police Officer {PPO}Njue Njagi, the Provincial CID boss Joseph Magwanja, the Central Nyanza Regional Commissioner Arthur Osea an the regional head of the Administration Police {AP} Francis Kirathi.
Fishermen operating in Lake Victoria reacted with joy and enthusiasm an thanked the government for having take into account the safety of it citizens who in the recent past were subjected to all sorts of criminally motivated attacks and piracy by heavily armed foreigners from the neighboring countries.
The pirates have been attacking fishermen inside Kenya, especially in all parliamentary constituencies neighboring the shoreline of Lake Victoria stretching from Port Victoria in Budalangi, Alego Usonga, Bondo, Mbita, Gwassi and Nyatike.
In such attacks the petty traders operating retailing shops and kiosk have not been spared, but the fishermen are reported to have incurred heavy loses both in fishing gear, money and catches running into million of shillings.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony Nyanza P.C. Mutia said the boat will be used to patrol Lake Victoria.
He said the patrol boat will be used to reduce rising cases of insecurity in the Lake. He warned those involved in illegal businesses in the lake and called on fishermen to co-operate with the security personnel in order to boost security.
The PC pointed out that the new vessel will patrol the Kenyan side of the lake and provides security for fishermen.
“We want our fishermen to carry their businesses freely without fear of arrest forces from neighboring countries.”
The Administrator took issue with the rampant cases of harassment on Kenyan fishermen at the disputed Islands of Migingo and Ugingo.”The government, he added, is committed towards ensuring security to all its citizens. That is he said.
Mutie disclosed that the vessel will intensify patrols around Lake Victoria to curb rampant criminal activities along the usually crowded fishing landing beaches.
Reacting to the arrival of the ultra modern patrol boat, Juma Ombori, the chairman of Migingo Beach Management Unit said the move was most welcome and asked the Kenyan police to ensure they use the vessel to protect Kenyan fishermen.
Ombori said fishermen have in the recent past been arrested by Ugandan security forces for no good reason.”We want our police to ensure they protect our fishermen from unnecessary arbitrary arrests and harassment by the Ugandan forces,”
Another personality who praised the government for having considered its citizens operating in the Lake sympathetically is the chairman of Suba Council of Elders Mzee Apollo Okeyo Omuga of Rusinga Island.
He said fishermen and fish traders working in Lake Victoria in areas neighboring Suba region, covering then twin iusland of Rusinga and Mfangano an small fishing island have been subject to incessant attack by both pirates and security forces from the neighboring countries. They have lost fishing gears such as fishnets, fish, money boat and highly valued boat engines.
The economy of the residents of the Lake region, particularly in areas like Mbita, Suba and Nyatike depend on fishing and fish trades, but in recent years the areas have been prone to well orchestrated night and even daylight attacks by pirates from neighboring countries.
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