NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 11 – Fishermen in Busia County are set to benefit from improved fishing infrastructure, enhanced security on Lake Victoria and better access to markets following fresh government commitments to address challenges facing the sector.
Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Raymond Omollo said the government was prioritising the blue economy through investments in modern fish landing sites, cold storage facilities and increased deployment of security officers to protect fishing communities.
Speaking in Budalangi, Busia County, during a meeting with Beach Management Unit (BMU) members representing 20 beaches, Omollo said fishermen had for years received inadequate attention despite their contribution to food security, employment creation and the economy.
He said the government was determined to ensure fishing communities benefited from development programmes in the same way as farmers in the tea, coffee, dairy and sugarcane sectors.
“For the first time, we have a President who recognises that fishermen deserve the same attention as tea farmers, dairy farmers, sugarcane farmers and other producers. Development must benefit every Kenyan, regardless of where they come from or what they do for a living,” Omollo said.
The PS revealed that two of Busia County’s 20 beaches were being developed into modern fish landing sites as part of efforts to improve fish handling, storage and access to markets.
