By Gad Masereka
Busia: Kenyan Fishermen in Busia district have accused the Uganda police marine force of allegedly forcing them to eat raw fish on gunpoint whenever they arrest them. The marine also allegedly force the fishermen to carry their luggage and make them move from one island to another and that the marines confiscate their fishing gears, boats and fish.
On Thursday the Busia county Beach Management Unit chairperson Sylvester Kaywa asked president Uhuru Kenyatta to seek dialogue with his counterpart president Yoweri Museveni to rescue the affected fishermen from the alleged inhuman acts of the marine force. Stephen Odhiambo, a fisherman, urged the two governments to help them get modernized fishing gears to improve the fishing standards on Lake Victoria. He added that most of the fishing nets and boats are old-fashioned.
However, the police accused the Kenyan fishermen of practicing illegal fishing on Lake Victoria, especially on the Uganda side.
Commenting on the saga,ODM leader Raila Odinga vowed to talk to President Museveni about the issue. He added that harassing Kenyan fishermen kills the spirit of East African Community. He urged the two governments to continue installing security lights along the shores of Lake Victoria to improve on the fishing productivity.
