Nairobi: Grief engulfed Mikuyu Location in Suba South Sub-county after a fisherman was killed, yesterday, during a fight over fishing grounds. The deceased identified as Fredrick Oduol, 35, was killed when two groups of rival fishermen engaged in a vicious fight in the lake according to Suba Sub-county Beach Management Unit Chairman, William Onditi.
According to Kenya News Agency, Onditi said violence broke out when some fishermen accused Oduol and his colleagues of fishing in a space that was not meant for them, adding he was hit with a paddle inflicting serious injuries. He died a few hours later while receiving medication at Mikuyu Health Center. His body was moved to St Camillus Hospital Morgue.
Onditi urged fishermen to desist from illegal fishing methods and attributed the incident to decline in fish population in Lake Victoria as a result of the killing of immature fish. ‘The illegal fishing nets has led to deaths of fish which have not matured. This has led to decline in fish population, hence the scramble for fishing space in the lake,’ Onditi argued.
The Chairman of Homa Bay County Beach Management Network Edward Oremo said the illegal fishing methods must stop. ‘We cannot allow illegal fishing to continue in Lake Victoria. This is a recipe for chaos in the lake due to fish scarcity,’ Oremo said. He called on fishermen to diversify their sources of income, to reduce fishing pressure in Lake Victoria.
