Interior PS Raymond Omollo spoke in Mbita, Homa Bay County, on Sunday during a meeting with members of Beach Management Units (BMUs) from Suba South and Suba North. Faith Matete 
Beach Management Units (BMUs) from Suba South and Suba North meeting in Mbita. Faith Matete 
Beach Management Units (BMUs) from Suba South and Suba North meeting in Mbita. Faith Matete The government has urged fishermen on Lake Victoria to embrace modern fishing technology and make better use of state support to increase fish production and improve their livelihoods.
Principal Secretary for Interior and National Administration Raymond Omollo said investments in fish cages, feeds and fingerlings would help boost the blue economy if properly utilised by fishing communities.
Omollo spoke in Mbita, Homa Bay County, on Sunday during a meeting with members of Beach Management Units (BMUs) from Suba South and Suba North, where fishermen raised concerns over insecurity, declining fish stocks and disputes over fishing grounds.
He challenged fishermen to take advantage of the available government support, noting that resources channelled to the sector would have greater impact if beneficiaries fully utilised them.
“The government has provided support, including fish cages and feeds, but we have not fully utilised the resources that have been made available,” he said.
Omollo urged fishermen to adopt modern fishing methods and technology, including the use of fibre boats, to improve productivity and reduce accidents on the lake.
He said Lake Victoria had supported families for generations by providing livelihoods and enabling them to educate their children, making sustainable management of its resources critical.
The PS called on fishing communities to protect fish stocks and avoid practices that could undermine the lake's ability to sustain future generations.
On security, Omollo said he had invited the regional commissioner and county security officials to listen directly to fishermen's concerns and help develop solutions with their representatives.
He assured the fishermen that their grievances had been taken up for follow-up, urging them to maintain close cooperation with security agencies and report emerging problems before they escalated.
The meeting also addressed disputes over fishing boundaries involving fishermen from Homa Bay, Kisumu, Siaya and Migori counties.
Omollo called for peaceful coexistence, warning that disagreements over fishing grounds should not continue to cost lives or lead to the destruction of property.
He said Lake Victoria was a shared resource whose benefits should extend to all communities that depend on it, adding that dialogue and cooperation were necessary to resolve boundary disputes.
“The resources of Lake Victoria should not become a curse or a reason for conflict,” he said, urging fishermen to agree on peaceful ways of managing competing interests on the lake.
Omollo described the engagement as an important avenue for fishermen to present their concerns directly to government officials and learn about interventions aimed at improving their welfare and strengthening the blue economy.
He said closer cooperation between fishing communities, their leadership and government agencies would be key to improving safety, increasing productivity and ensuring the sustainable use of Lake Victoria's resources.
