This archive report was first published on 9 May 2021.
May 9, 2021
Violent gangs have taken over fishing in Lake Naivasha, making it a risky job for fishermen and traders. The gangs, who have been operating in the area for about a year, have been extorting fishermen and stealing their nets and fish.
According to Lake Naivasha Boat Owners Association chairman David Kilo, the gangs have been using clubs, machetes, and other weapons to waylay fishermen and rob them of their gear and motorboats. They also steal fish from nets set by fishermen during the night.
Residents say the gangs have been armed with clubs, machetes, and other weapons, and have been using undersized nets and hooks in the lake. Others use monofilament nets, sweeping everything from mature fish to fingerlings.
Since the year began, scores of fishermen have been seriously injured, their nets stolen, and their daily catch carted away by the ruthless gangs. Fishermen and traders from Kamere landing beach have protested the rising crime, blocking the busy Moi South Lake Road for hours.
Naivasha sub-county commissioner Mutua Kisilu said the government has taken action to kick out the gangs, recovering nine boats, over 1,000 illegal nets, and arresting five suspects. However, the situation has been worsened by unemployment and the number of informal estates around the lake.
Naivasha sub-county fisheries officer Nicholas Kagundu said the use of undersized nets and hooks is a major threat to the sector, which earned the county Sh300 million in the last financial year. The county is keen to ban the use and sale of monofilament nets and license fishing gear dealers.
