Fisherman killed in dispute over fishing grounds on Lake Victoria

The incident occurred at Mukuyu beach in Homa-Bay County on Monday evening.

Fredrick Oduol, a 35-year-old fisherman, was killed when groups of fishermen fought in a rivalry over fishing grounds during a fishing expedition.

According to Suba Sub-county Beach Management Unit Chairman William Onditi, two groups of fishermen engaged in violent attacks in the lake as they were scrambling for fishing grounds.

The violence occurred when a group of fishermen accused Oduol and his colleagues of fishing in a space that was not meant for them.

Oduol is reported to have been hit with a paddle, culminating in serious injuries, before he was rushed to Mikuyu Health Center where he lost his life.

Onditi attributes the incident to a decline in the fish population in Lake Victoria, resulting from illegal fishing methods that kill immature fish. 

The Chairman of the Homa-Bay County Beach Management Network, Edward Oremo, said illegal fishing methods should not be allowed to continue in Lake Victoria, as they are a recipe for chaos in the lake.

He calls on fishermen to diversify their sources of livelihood to reduce fishing pressure in Lake Victoria.