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{
    "id": 1493452,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1493452/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 293,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Central Imenti, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Moses Kirima",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "2. Strategies put in place by the Ministry to work with the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation and other stakeholders to harmonise the fishing policies and procedures in the lake, and to provide adequate support and protection to the Kenyan fishermen. 3. Measures put in place to embrace security and surveillance in Lake Victoria and to collaborate with Ugandan authorities to prevent and punish any acts of harassment and extortion against Kenyan fishermen by Ugandan authorities. The Committee engaged the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs on the above concerns raised by Hon. Catherine Omanyo. I, therefore, wish to respond to the issues as follows. On the steps being taken by the Ministry to engage with the Government of Uganda to ensure that Kenyan fishermen in Lake Victoria are treated with respect and dignity, and that any disputes over fishing rights are resolved amicably and peacefully, the Kenyan Embassy and its diplomatic staff have effectively, mediated specific disputes by engaging with the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the Kenyan-Uganda Joint Ministerial Meeting held in Nairobi from 12th to 14th May 2024. The meeting stressed the need to address harassment of fishermen in Lake Victoria. It underscored the need to harmonise fishing laws and streamline the issues of fishing permits to improve accessibility. In 2022, the two countries also signed the Defence Cooperation Agreement to address the harassment of Kenyan fishermen in Lake Victoria. The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs is actively overworking alongside other line ministries to ensure the effective implementation of these resolutions. Kenyan missions in Kampala and Dar es Salaam continue to protect Kenyan interests by liaising with authorities to ensure consular access to detained citizens. Furthermore, these missions collaborate closely with the Diaspora Associations of Kenya in Uganda and Tanzania, maintaining continuous updates from association officials on the status of any detained Kenyans. Security committees within countries bordering Lake Victoria have been briefed to remain vigilant in safeguarding the welfare of their citizens. All reported cases of arrests have been diligently followed up with the aim of securing justice for these affected people. On the strategies put in place by the Ministry to work with the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation and other stakeholders to harmonise the fishing policies and procedures on the lake and to provide adequate support and protection to Kenyan fishermen, Kenya remains a committed member of the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation, an institution governed by the East African Community Treaty. Issues on Lake Victoria are primarily addressed at the bilateral level. Existing disputes concerning arrests have not necessarily been escalated to regional forums. Kenya has established a robust mechanism to safeguard its interests under Lake Victoria, including frequent patrols by the Kenyan Coast Guards in collaboration with Tanzania and Ugandan counterparts. These coordinated patrols are intended to foster peace and equitable utilisation of the resources in Lake Victoria. On the measures put in place to ensure security and surveillance in Lake Victoria and to collaborate with Ugandan authorities to prevent and punish any acts of harassment or extortion against Kenyan fishermen by Ugandan authorities, and in areas where jurisdiction lies within Kenyan waters, Kenyan authorities are fully empowered to investigate incidents and resolve issues through both administrative and diplomatic avenues. The regional administration ensures the safety and security of Kenyan citizens conducting business on Lake Victoria, and incidents involving foreign entity matters are escalated through the Kenyan High Commission in Uganda or the Ugandan High Commission in Kenya for a diplomatic response. I, thereby, submit. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for this opportunity on behalf of the Chairman, Hon. Nelson Koech."
}