How lake Victoria 'is eating its own people'

In the Biblical narrative, when the 12 spies were sent to spy the city of Jericho, all went but came with different reports. Except Caleb and O’shea (later called Joshua), the rest reported that the land ‘ate its own people’ to depict that it was an inhabitable land that could not support life. Of course this was contrary to the evidence brought of the produce of the land.

But looking from the other end, every place where men live predisposes them to death in a unique way. This is true of the East African communities living around Lake Victoria. The blessings of the lake come with the equal dangers due to lifestyle and culture.

Wild Animals

The first danger is wild animals that live in the lake and around. Ranging from big mammals like hippos and reptiles like crocodiles, to small invisible arthropods, they kill humans and livestock and smaller ones act as vectors to various diseases. Many families have lost their loved ones to the crocodiles that have infested areas previously used by humans who use the lake.

This is a case of human wildlife conflict also reported in other parts of the country closer to wildlife zones. The crocodiles and hippos have no choice after their breeding grounds have been destroyed by fishermen who stop at nothing to get the most hidden fish. They walk out of the water, sometimes in broad daylight looking for something to eat and grassy land to graze. The crocodiles catch and kill man and livestock, while the hippos destroy crops and trample fishing nets.

The crocodiles are known for their power in killing even the largest preys, and feeds on fish, birds, mammals (even humans), and at times, smaller crocodiles. The cumulative effect is families left without breadwinners, or that have lost their livestock to the marauding predators.

 In the last World Fisheries Day celebrations at Sindo Beach, Homay County Governor Cyprian Awiti asked Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to come up with a lasting solution to the human-wildlife conflict cases reported around the lake, adding that three people had recently been killed by crocodiles and hippos. (http://kenyanewsagency.go.ke/?p=5307)

Diseases

Cholera outbreaks are very common around the lake. Cholera is caused by bacterium Vibrio cholerae transmitted by contaminated water or food. It affects the small intestine and characterized by diarrhea and vomiting. Many people around the lake succumbed to the disease during the 1997 outbreak. A report published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene puts the June 1997-March 1998 outbreak death figures at 547 out of 14,275 hospitalized infections in Nyanza. A case controlled study showed that the risk factors were drinking water from Lake Victoria and poor-hygiene lifestyle.

Lake environments are also famous for diseases like Urogenital schistosomiasis (bilharzias), which causes chronic illness and caused by a parasitic agent transmitted through tainted water. It affects both men and women around the genitals.

Though bilharzia in itself kills slowly, it creates nurture zones for some other complications such as bladder cancer-a disease highly linked to it. Bilharzia is also a risk factor for HIV infection. Studies in Kenya showed that 60% of infections are geographically confined around the Lake Regions (irinnews.org).

Skin infections

The water hyacinth menace on Lake Victoria affect the population in many negative ways. Water polluted by the obnoxious weed irritate the human skin if used untreated. Many of the people living around the lake bathe and swim in the water hence the increased cases of skin rash.

This creates pathways for other disease-causing micro-organisms which may be fatal. Similar internal effects may be registered if the polluted water is drank untreated leading to more complications that reduce the quality of life and efficiency of human capital.

Integrated approaches are being considered by County, national governments and concerned NGO’s on how to control or make good use of the weed to economical beneficence.

Microclimate and Climate Change

With its large size, famous for being the second largest fresh water lake in the world by surface, Lake Victoria affects the climate systems in a large area around it.

A report by researchers from Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research indicate that Lake Victoria is one of the ‘hotspots of climate change’ in Africa. The identified regions ‘are expected to see more severe dry seasons and reduced plant growth’ with ‘flooding in countries around Lake Victoria.’

The ground truth is that climate has become very unpredictable around the Lake Victoria, especially on the Kenyan side. It has been observed that crops have done poorly this season and the residents are exposed to famine and drought.

The traditional ways of predicting weather started failed and farmers only plant hoping for some luck, in the event it rains. Even if it rains, it comes at a time unexpected when it either destroys the crops or finds them already destroyed by drought, hence no benefit.

Boat accidents

Of course many incidences of boats capsizing have claimed so many lives, of those fishing and those using it as a means of transport. And most of the victims are the breadwinners in their families. Unimaginable loss!

In conclusion, there need be a campaign to let the communities living around the lake know and possibly avert the dangers posed by its presence while enjoying its advantages. Writing about it being the first step.