Fishermen in Homa-Bay County are mounting pressure on the county government to address a list of grievances affecting their operations.
They said that lack of basic facilities at landing beaches is undermining their safety and livelihoods.
Members of the Homa-Bay County Beach Management Units (BMU) called on Governor Gladys Wanga to honor campaign promises and commitments made after she assumed office.
The fishermen who spoke to the media on Sunday said sanitation, access roads, storage facilities, and clean water supply remain a critical challenge in most beaches.
National BMU Chairperson, Tom Guda, said the situation has persisted despite fishermen paying levies and taxes to the county government.
“Most beaches do not have basic sanitation facilities such as pit latrines, clean water, or access roads. These are basic needs, and lack of the facilities makes our work more difficult and risky,” Guda said.
“The Governor made these pledges during her campaigns and repeated them after taking office. It is now overdue.” He added.
Homa-Bay County BMU Chairperson Edward Oremo stressed that strengthening BMUs is critical to sustainable fishing.
He urged the county to invest in capacity building for fishermen on safety protocols and legal fishing methods, and to equip beaches with essential facilities to reduce post-harvest losses.
Oremo said improved infrastructure would not only boost incomes but also help curb illegal fishing practices that arise when fishermen are forced to operate under poor conditions.
However, County Executive Committee Member for Roads and Transport Danish Onyango promised that the issues will be addressed.
He said Governor Wanga’s administration appreciates the challenges fisher folks face and was working round the clock to ensure that the necessary infrastructure was laid down.
“We are keen on providing all the necessary needs to ensure our fishermen operate in a conducive environment,” Onyango said.
He added that the county government is reviewing beach infrastructure projects and will prioritize interventions that directly affect daily operations.
The BMU leaders said they expect a clear implementation timeline from the county and warned that continued inaction could spark rebellion in payment of taxes.
By Brenda Odindo and Davis Langat
