Fishermen in Lake Naivasha lash out at politicians

A fisherman Masoud Sheba carry his day's catch of rabbit fish (tasa)

[PHOTO BY GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD].

Fishermen around Lake Naivasha have told politicians to stop interfering in the regulation of the fishing sub-sector.

According to the chairman of the Lake Naivasha Boat Owners Association, David Kilo, some politicians were demanding that a group arrested last week and its fishing gear confiscated for flouting the law be freed.

He said fishermen had invested thousands of shillings in restocking the lake but a few individuals were flouting the law.

"The seven boats were nabbed as the fishermen pretended to be fishing along the shorelines and we shall not allow them back into the lake," he said.

But speaking on the phone, Lakeview MCA Simon Wanyoike accused the fisheries officers of unfairly targeting one group of youths.

He said that arrest had created unnecessary tension around the lake, adding that the boats should be released.

"We have raised the issue with the sub-county commissioner and the county executive officer in charge of agriculture, but the fisheries officer has not released the boats," he said.

Mr Wanyoike added that the lake should benefit all the communities around it.