Territorial fight in L Victoria leaves two fishermen dead, others hospitalised

Two fishermen are feared dead, with two others nursing injuries after fighting broke out between two groups in Lake Victoria.

The incident occurred after the violence broke out between fishermen of Koginga Beach Management Unit (BMU) in Homa Bay Sub-county and their counterparts from Ndhuru BMU in Mbita Sub-county.

The two groups of fishermen fought in the waters near Ndhuru beach.

According to Homa Bay BMU Network Chairman Edward Oremo, the incident began when fishermen from Koginga beach went to fish in the territory of Ndhuru beach.

The fishermen were fishing in an area set aside by their Ndhuru counterparts as a fish breeding zone. However, the fishermen from Ndhuru beach felt that their colleagues had invaded their territory.

They accused the fishermen from Koginga of using illegal fishing gear in their fish breeding zone.

The Ndhuru fishermen opined that their Koginga counterparts were provoking them.

“The fishermen from Koginga went to fish at Obolobolo area set aside by their Ndhuru colleagues as a breeding zone. It was at that time when violence erupted,” Oremo said.

When the physical confrontation began, the two groups assaulted each other with crude weapons including stones and pangas.

According to the Chief of Lambwe East Location, Benard Ouma, two fishermen from Ndhuru beach disappeared in the lake after the violence.

“There are allegations that the two were killed before their bodies were dumped into the lake. But we cannot declare them dead until their bodies are found,” Ouma said.

Ouma said two other fishermen from Nhuru beach sustained serious injuries and were hospitalised at Homa Bay County Referral Hospital.

“It is also alleged that they removed the engine of the boat that belonged to Ndhuru fishermen and dumped it into the lake too,” he added.

Mbita Sub-county Police Commander Antony Barasa said a team comprising the Kenya Coast Guard Service Officers and fishermen had begun searching for the bodies of the two missing fishermen.

“The retrieval exercise is going on to ensure the bodies of the fishermen feared dead are found,” Barasa said.

He said they were going to arrest the perpetrators of the incident.

“We continue to record statements of witnesses to enable us to arrest the people who are culpable for this incident,” Barasa said.

The police boss urged residents to avoid taking the law into their own hands.

“Let fishermen report their grievances to police for punitive action,” Barasa added.