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{
    "id": 520377,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/520377/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 11,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "(ii) THAT, due to gross neglect of the local fishing industry in Busia County by successive Governments of Kenya since Independence, the lives and the livelihoods of the fishermen and of the local communities which they support have been gravely and negatively affected. (iii) THAT, fishermen continue to encounter major challenges and obstacles which hinder their prosperity including:- (a) Harassment or brutalization by Ugandan authorities. Ugandan authorities regularly harass and brutalise Kenyan fishermen, confiscating caught fish and even fish boats and other fishing gear both within and without Kenya’s territorial waters. (b) The main conflict is around the fact that fish such as the Nile Perch breeds in the shallow Kenyan waters and then relocates to grow and mature in the deeper Uganda waters. Naturally, Kenyan fishermen follow the fish to Ugandan waters where they encounter all manner of abuses at the hands of Ugandan authorities. (c) General insecurity and piracy in the lake: Many fishermen have fallen prey to criminals who operate unchallenged on the lake. The criminals beat up innocent fishermen and steal their caught fish and fishing gear, including boats and nets. A number of fishermen have even lost their lives to the criminals. (d) Exposure to illness and lack of health facilities for the fishermen: Both fishermen and other people living on the shores of Lake Victoria get exposed to mainly air, water and vector-borne diseases, including bilharzia, malaria and tuberculosis. The dreaded HIV/AIDS pandemic is also rampant in the area due to what is called “fish for sex” business. Even Ebola is a likely risk due to the frequent interaction between Kenyan and Ugandan fisher folk. The fishermen lack local health facilities, where they can access services. (e) Lack of modern landing sites: In spite of the fact that there are many landing sites on Lake Victoria, in Samia and Bunyala Sub-counties, they are not demarcated, earmarked or developed. Also, the sites lack the necessary facilities such as fish, good roads, electricity, piped water and good sanitation, which are the required minimum of modern landing sites. (f) Lack of fish processing and preservation plants: There is an urgent need to establish fish processing and cooling plants to prevent the massive losses suffered by fishermen when fish goes bad due to poor storage facilities. (g) Lack of search and rescue facilities: The lack of modern search and rescue equipment and skilled manpower in times of emergency has resulted in many people losing their lives in circumstances where they could easily have been saved. 4. Many local attempts to resolve some of the grievances above and seek appropriate relief have all failed. They include:- (a) setting up community vigilante groups armed with crude weapons to patrol the lake; (b) pleas by community elders to the Ugandan authorities to stop harassing Kenyan fishermen; (c) pleas to civil society groups; (d) intervention by local politicians seeking an amicable solution from their Ugandan counterparts; The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}