Twenty-four Kenyan fishermen were on Thursday evening arrested by Ugandan security officers for allegedly trespassing while fishing on Lake Victoria.
The fishermen, who hail from Ringiti Island in Suba North constituency, Homa Bay County, were taken to Uganda’s Lolwe Island where they are being detained. Six boats they were using were also confiscated.
The arrest comes after months of relative calm following improved diplomatic ties between Kenya and Uganda, but the incident now threatens to rekindle tensions along the shared waters.
Ringiti Island Beach Management Unit chairman Barnabas Odhiambo insisted the fishermen had not crossed into Ugandan territory.
“What we know is that my colleagues were fishing in Kenyan waters, not Ugandan. These foreign officers are harassing Kenyans who depend on the lake for their livelihood,” Odhiambo said.
He accused Ugandan security personnel of frequently crossing into Kenyan waters and acting as though Kenya lacked its own patrol units.
According to Odhiambo, the officers demanded Sh50,000 for each seized boat and Sh10,000 for every fisherman in custody.
“The money they ask for is way beyond what our people can afford. They are impoverishing us,” he said, adding that harassment of fishermen had started resurfacing.
He appealed to both the government and local leaders to intervene and push for a lasting solution.
“Let the government and our leaders move quickly to address this. We are appealing to President William Ruto to engage his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni so that our fishermen can enjoy long-term peace on the lake,” he added.
Acting Homa Bay County Commissioner Charles Mwayaya confirmed that the matter had not yet been officially reported to his office.
“They have not filed any complaint with us, but I am already looking into the matter to establish the facts and find a way forward,” Mwayaya said.
During this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations in Homa Bay, President Ruto had promised to strengthen security operations on Lake Victoria to safeguard Kenyan fishermen from such incidents.
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