Kenya Returns Impounded Fishing Gear

By Egessa Hajusu

In an effort aimed at easing tension between fishermen across the border, Kenyan authorities have returned the fishing gear impounded from Ugandan.

Timothy Maina the Samia district police commander in Busia Kenya County handed over the impounded items to Grace Kanuna the deputy resident district commissioner Busia on Thursday.

Over the past months, fishers in the two countries have been quarrelling and impounding one others fishing gear over reported claims of fishing in the waters across the boundary.

At one point early this year, the Ugandan fishers asked the security to permit them deal with their Kenyan counterparts.

The cross border security meeting was aimed at creating harmony and establishing good working relationship between the two fishing communities across the border.

The Ugandan gear impounded at Port Victoria landing site in Kenya include boats and fishing nets.

However, two motor engines impounded in Kenya were alongside other items, leaving fishers in Majanji accusing their leaders of siding with the Kenyan.

The frustrated fishermen left the meeting at Maduwa landing site and stormed Iglo foods fish processing factory where the impounded Kenyan fishing gears was kept and attempted to destroy it to avenge their damaged boats.

But the police arrived in time to combat the situation.

Abangi Wafula the Maduwa ‘A’ village chairperson and Geoffrey Bwire were arrested in the process.

After receiving the fishing gear, Kanuna gave it back to its owners, noting that the security would soon organise and also hand the impounded Kenyan fishing gears they are holding.

Kanuna however appealed to the Kenyan leaders to return the missing engines and repair the
Maina said they had acted in good faith to hand over the impounded items to promote the East Africa Community spirt and brotherhood.

“As border security our aim is to ensure that we co-exist peacefully,” he said and appealed to both communities to protect the lake.

The fishers claimed that the security had done little to protect them from their Kenyan colleagues who are bribing marines to fish with impunity on the Ugandan side daily.