Leaders protest over fish imports from China
Counties
By
Wilfred Ayaga
| Jul 06, 2016
Nairobi, Kenya: Members of Parliament from Nyanza and Coast regions have threatened to call for a boycott of fish from China, citing health and economic concerns.
The MPs said the importation has severely affected fish-producing regions economically, as hundreds of local fish mongers have been pushed out of business.
Additionally, the lawmakers claimed lack of guarantees on the safety of the fish has exposed consumers to lead poisoning and cholera, among other health effects.
“Unless and until the Government tells us why it cannot make available the necessary resources to make our fish industry viable, unless and until the Government authenticates the safety of these cheap fish imports from China, we urge our people to completely boycott their purchase and consumption,” said the MPs in their statement read by Nicholas Gumbo (Rarieda).
The Standard this week carried an exclusive report of how fish from China have flooded the local market as local fish breeding grounds run dry.
READ MORE
Expert: The shilling has regained value, but don't expect it to last
Unearthing the artifacts of WWII: A journey through Matuu and beyond
Roam, County Bus Service partner to deploy 200 electric buses
Budget cuts loom for Parliament thanks to Sh9.6b Bunge Towers
Private sector partnerships important to catalysing sports
Tax stand-off as boda boda riders defy county call to pay
Islamic banking gets traction in Africa as Salaam Bank feted
Data privacy major challenge for Kenya's digital space, report
Angola ICT Minister: Invest in space industry to ensure a connected, peaceful Africa
The report also showed how fish processing companies in Nyanza region have scaled owns their operations in favour of Chinese fish imports. The fish, according to the special report, is frozen and exported to Kenya by Zhangzou Longyi Food Company Limited.
According to the MPs, Chinese fish is ‘fake’ and the importation deal was part of a scheme to marginalise fish-producing regions from the country economic mainstream.
DELIBERATE NEGLECT
“The fact that a country with a coastline in excess of 2,000 nautical miles and access to the world’s second largest fresh water lake, in addition to several inland water bodies can actively import unprocessed fish from China is a thorough indictment of the deliberate neglect the industry has been subjected to by successive governments since independence,” read the statement.
Olago Aluoch (Kisumu Town West) claimed that the imported fish, mainly tilapia, has no certification from relevant authorities.
The MPs said they will petition the Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi to have the matter referred to the relevant House committee for consideration.
Others at the Press conference at Parliament Buildings were Shakeel Shabbir (Kisumu East), James Nyikal (Seme), Joseph Ndiege (Suna West), Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Millie Odhiambo (Mbita) and John Kobado (Uriri).
“We are not only going to boycott, but we are going to make sure that they don’t operate from Kisumu,” said Mr Shabbir.
The MPs said while the European Union had strict regulations on fish exports from Africa, Kenya’s regulations are still lax.
- Expert: The shilling has regained value, but don't expect it to last
- Budget cuts loom for Parliament thanks to Sh9.6b Bunge Towers
- Governors reject revenue Bill, demand Sh439.5 billion allocation