Busia fishermen around Lake Victoria have decried the low fish prices in Kenya, thus forcing them to establish their market in neighboring Uganda. Mulukoba Beach Management Unit vice chairman Alfred Agufya said the Ugandan market attracts Ksh 70 more per kilogram than Kenya, considering transportation costs.
“We incur a lot of costs when it comes to transporting fish to Nairobi,” he said.
Speaking while receiving a delegation from Busia County government led by Director of Administration Robert Muganda, Agufwa had also good news to fishermen on the stock of fish on Lake Victoria.
He said the availability of fish, especially Tilapia fish, has increased from 300 kilograms to one ton daily at Mulukoba beach in the past few days due to rising water levels.
“Fishermen are happy with the latest developments. Our only undoing is the market in Kenya which is deteriorating, with available customers paying ‘peanuts’ for the fish,” he said.
Regarding tribulations Kenyan fishermen were being subjected to on Ugandan shores, Agufwa blamed Kenyan security fraternities for sleeping on their jobs and allowing their Ugandan counterparts to capitalize on the loopholes to harass Kenyan fishermen.
“We are victims of harassment from patrols. Kenyan security should also take the initiative to patrol the Lake to earn respect from their Ugandan colleagues,” he said.
Agufwa narrated other challenges facing Kenyan fishermen. “We don’t have enough waters on the Kenyan side of the Lake. When we are found in Ugandan territory, we are given a condition that we must have the fish processed in Uganda or else we forfeit our fish stock.”