Inside Kisumu County's move to phase out wooden boats

By Peter Ochieng

The County government of Kisumu has embarked on an ambitious journey to phase out wooden boats, with fabrication of modern fibreglass boats being touted as an environmental game changer.

Wooden boats are made of wood, which means a tree or trees have to be cut to assemble them, resulting in environmental degradation.

More trees are cut in case of a need for renovation, which in the long run, stagnates environmental conservation efforts.

Wooden boats have also been termed as the cause of accidents within the waters of Lake Victoria, with reports indicating that up to 5,0000 fishermen die in the fresh water body, across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania every year.

And now, Kisumu governor Anyang' Nyong'o's administration has commissioned the Kenya Shipyard Limited (KSL) to fabricate and supply six modern fibreglass boats, within a span of 90 days.

Five of the boats, according to governor Nyong'o, will be allocated to fisher-folk across five areas, namely; Kisumu Central, Seme, Kisumu West, Nyakach and Kadibo.

The sixth boat will be designated for the directorate of fisheries, to enhance monitoring and surveillance efforts within the Lake.

Nyong'o said each of these state-of-the-art boats will be fitted with 15 - 25 horsepower engines.

Additionally, they come fully equipped with cooler boxes capable of storing up to 500kg of fish, life jackets, flares, and other essential safety gear to ensure safety in the Lake.

"This initiative aims to encourage fishermen and lake transport operators to transition from traditional wooden boats to modern fiberglass vessels, which are safer and more durable," said the second term county boss.

"Ultimately, our goal is to phase out wooden boats, whose risks have led to numerous tragedies on the lake," he added.

The project is being undertaken under the Kisumu Lakefront Development Corporation (KLDC), a county based parastatal.

Besides the fibreglass boats, Nyong'o told fisher-folk at Kichinjio Beach in Kisumu Central on Tuesday that his administration will construct five landing sites in the county.

"In addition to the boats, my government is also moving forward with the construction of five landing sites strategically located at the following beaches; Kichinjio Beach in Kisumu Central Sub-County, Nango Beach in Seme Sub-County, Rota Beach in Kisumu West, Koguta Beach in Nyakach and Nyamware Beach in Kadibo Sub-County," stated the governor.

The landing sites, he insisted, are designed to provide enhanced accessibility, improve safety and facilitate the efficient transportation of fish, geared towards sustainable economic development.

"Another cornerstone of this development will be the construction of a 46km long promenade along the shoreline."

The fishermen, led by Beach Management Unit (BMU) representative Michael Opiyo, welcomed the initiatives saying they will go a long way in improving their fishing experience.