Orengo urges state to beef up security in Lake Victoria

Siaya Governor James Orengo. [Isaiah Gwengi, Standard]

Siaya Governor James Orengo has called on the national government to improve security in Lake Victoria.

Orengo regretted that Kenyan fishermen have been losing millions of shillings due to piracy, harassment and arrest by Ugandan authorities.

Speaking at Joachim Owang Mixed Secondary School in Mageta Island, where he disbursed bursaries worth Sh3.7 million to bright and needy learners, the governor said insecurity was interfering with the Blue Economy agenda.

Orengo who was accompanied by West Yimbo MCA Simon Angule and the County Beach Management Units (BMU) Coordinator Willis Ochieng, said his administration has laid down strategies to tap into the potential of fisheries.

"Insecurity in the lake where our people are arrested and sometimes robbed is a big threat to our growth. We are therefore asking the government to deploy security in the lake for our people to gain from the resource," said Orengo.

On Wednesday, a section of BMU officials from Bondo sub-county raised concern over the rising insecurity in the lake, saying the government has failed to protect them.

Julius Odembo, an official of the BMU network, said police do not patrol the lake due to bureaucracy.

"We've been told on several occasions that police officers cannot use wooden boats to patrol in the lake because they are not insured. We are, therefore, appealing to the county government to get us a recommended vessel that can be used by security officers to secure our fishermen," said Odembo.