Summary:

• Siaya Governor James Orengo calls on East African Community states to demonstrate commitment to regional federation by allowing fishermen from member states access to Lake Victoria without harassment. Orengo emphasizes the contradiction of talks about a federation while Kenyan fishermen face challenges in the lake. He urges the national government to address the issue diplomatically and advocates for removing artificial boundaries hindering the free use of the lake by citizens of member states. Orengo highlights the significance of the blue economy in Siaya County, with over 30,000 people benefiting from the sector.

Siaya governor James Orengo has challenged the East Africa Community states to show their readiness for a regional federation by opening up Lake Victoria for fishermen from member states.

Orengo said it was deceitful for the EAC member states of Uganda and Tanzania to continue harassing Kenyan fishermen whenever they find themselves outside the Kenyan waters while on fishing expeditions in the lake while talks of a federation that will encompass Central Africa are at advanced stage.

He was speaking at Liunda Beach on Tuesday during the county’s World Fisheries Day celebrations. The celebrations were marked by several activities that included boat racing.

The governor challenged the national government to engage its neighbours over the matter and bring to an end the perennial cries of fishermen.

“Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are members of the East Africa Community and they have already started the process of forming a union or federal system that will bring together nations of east and Central Africa” said Orengo adding “the community if growing bigger, with Democratic republic of Congo, South Sudan and Somalia becoming part of the community.”

Looking into the future, Orengo said, it does not augur well that the common East African resource which is the lake cannot be used by citizens of the members states freely.

He said that so long as fishermen are harassed whenever their expeditions take them into neighbouring countries, then talks of an East and Central African federation will remain a mirage.

He challenged the East African Community states to do away with the artificial boundaries which, he added, do not reflect what mother nature designed.

The governor said that more than 30,000 people benefit from the blue economy sector in Siaya County, most of whom are fishermen and those engaged in value addition.

Orengo said that Siaya produced fish worth more than Ksh. 5.6 billion last year, with more than 30 metric tons of fish coming from Lakes Kanyaboli and Victoria and another 186 tons from fish ponds.