A number of fishermen have reportedly drowned in Lake Victoria after they went fishing under the influence of chang'aa.

At Sare Beach in Suba-sub-county alone, more than 20 fishermen have drowned in the Lake since 2021.

The chairman of the operations unit in the Beach Management Unit (BMU) in Homa Bay County William Onditi said the cases were alarming and something needs to be done.

He told The Nairobian many fishermen report to work drunk which comprises their safety and security.

Onditi said earlier they suspected those who drowned had been killed by their colleagues but later discovered after conducting investigations that most of those who drowned had gone fishing while drunk.

"We have previously received reports that a given number of fishermen were on a fishing expedition but one or two of them fell into the lake and died. This made us suspect that the fishermen were killed by their colleagues with whom they had gone fishing," Onditi said.

They later monitored their colleagues and discovered that the fishermen were drowning because of drunkenness.

The consumption of illicit brews on beaches along the shore of Lake Victoria is now a cause for concern in the fishing community.

"It is a fact that chang'aa is killing fishermen in Lake Victoria. Despite being illegal in Kenya, chang'aa consumption is done openly on beaches at the shore of Lake Victoria," said Onditi.

He called on security officials to intensify the fight against the illicit brews in the area.

"Only security officials can help us eradicate the chang'aa menace which has become rampant. Let them intervene and rescue us. Ending chang'aa will also prevent deaths of fishermen who drown in Lake Victoria after consuming alcohol," he added.

Local rules

As a way of preventing the deaths of fishermen, some beach management units have made some local rules for barring drunk fishermen from fishing in Lake Victoria. At Litare Beach in Mbita Sub-county, BMU has prohibited fishermen from going to fish when they are drunk. However, this may not be very effective because the alcohol is sold at the beaches.

Litare BMU Chairman Isaiah Pero said he and his team vet the fishermen before they are allowed to venture into the lake.

"Any fisherman who intends to go fishing when drunk is barred from doing so. Instead, another fisherman is chosen to replace him," Pero said.

Pero said some fishermen mix chang'aa with porridge to enable them to sneak with it and drink later in the lake.

"We have realised some cunning fishermen mix chang'aa with porridge to enable them to sneak with it into the lake. Their tricks have been known and we don't allow them," Pero said.

The chairman of the Ndhuru BMU in Mbita Sub-county, John Ogweno, argues that drunkenness makes a fisherman vulnerable to falling into the lake.

"Lake Victoria is prone to storms. During a heavy storm, a drunk fisherman can easily lose balance and fall into the water when the boat is moving. Drinking alcohol during a fishing expedition is disastrous," Ogweno said.

Late last year fish farmers from HomaBay County incurred heavy losses following the death of fish in 40 cages in Lake Victoria.

The loss, worth millions of shillings, came barely a month before the farmers started harvesting mature fish from the cages erected inside the lake.

Homa Bay County Fisheries Director George Okoth said the death of the fish was a natural phenomenon caused by the decomposition of organic matter in the lake.

During heavy rains, floods dump a lot of organic matter in the lake. When the organic matter decomposes, it uses oxygen which leads to competition for oxygen with fish, Okoth said.

Okoth said the remedy for the problem is to avoid cutting vegetation along the lake shores.