Farmers demand compensation over deaths of fish in Busia

More than 300 cage fish farmers in Busia County are calling on the national and county governments to fulfil their compensation pledges following the mass death of fish in the cages in October.

The farmers say they had implemented some of the recommendations floated by scientists, which included moving their cages further ashore to minimize chances of death by suffocation.

The affected farmers have been unable to restock the cages and are slowly watching their source of livelihood drift further with every passing day.

For the last two months, Mulokhoba Beach in Busia County has been turning into a ghost area. Slowly, only a handful of businesspeople are present as an indication of the declining state of business following the mass death of fish in cages in Lake Victoria in October.

The floating cages remain empty, and fish farmers say the Ksh.9.5 million compensation bundle promised by the Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary and the Busia County Government is yet to materialize.

"Ile resolution ya mkutano tukiwa nayo walisema hii compensation ya restocking walikuwa wamesema itakuwa as soon as possible. Sasa hatujui kama ni kesho ama ni lini," said a Cage Fish Farmer Adams Gina.

Mulokhoba BMU Chairman Joakim Omollo added, "County government na national government kwa nini hawawezi kuchukua haya majukumu wafanye ile fidia kama vile walikuwa wameahidi juu tunaumia jamani tunaumia."

In a report released by the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Institute, the massive deaths were caused by a scientific phenomenon that led to suffocation due to water currents changing in the lake.

KMFRI had issued a raft of recommendations, including moving the cages into deeper waters where chances of suffocation would be minimal, spacing the cages, as well as setting up cold chain facilities to enable storage of fish.

Despite some of the farmers moving the cages, they remain stranded due to a lack of capital.

"Tangu janga litokee hakuna kazi. Vijana na kina mama wote wamekosa kazi na hii cage ilikuwa pia inasaidia kupunguza pressure kwa bahari kwa sababu sasa wale vijana wavuvi wote walikuwa wameandikwa. Sasa hapa tangu janga itokee watu wamekuwa na shida samaki hakuna," Mulokhoba Fish Cages Manager Pius Olengo said.

Cases of massive fish kills were also reported across Rudacho Beach in Busia and sections of beaches in Kisumu and Homa Bay counties due to the changing currents that affect Lake Victoria.