Tree planting drive launched to save Lake Victoria

The government has started plans to replenish forests in Kisumu to increase Lake Victoria’s water level.

The reduction in the lake’s volume would affect the supply of water in the region, said Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company (Kiwasco) managing director David Onyango.

“This is a government-driven initiative that will affect Kenya at large as a water scarce country and conserve the little that is available,” Mr Onyango said.

The reforestation targets to plant 530 million trees to cover at least 10 per cent of the depleted vegetation in Kisumu.

Lake Victoria has receded by two metres.

During a meeting at Kisat treatment plant to educate the public on the need to conserve forests, Mr Onyango said: “We are also partnering with schools and Total Kenya under the eco challenge initiative to boost the forest cover in the country.”

He said the project would include cleaning of River Kisat to reduce lake pollution.

“Under Kisumu Sanitation Water Project, which will cost Sh4 billion, the river will be cleaned and a sewerage plant rehabilitated to conserve the Lake Victoria Water Basin,” Mr Onyango said.

At the same time, the Bondo fishing department will conduct a door-to-door search of illegal fishing gear after a two-week amnesty period lapses.

District fisheries officer Alfred Obayo said those who failed to comply with the directive would be arrested.

“We will mount an aggressive search of every house in the district to weed out illegal fishing gear that depletes the juvenile fish in the lake,” said Mr Obayo.

The fisheries officer noted that illegal fishing gear contributed to 80 per cent of the lake destruction, adding that the ministry would come up with stringent measures to end the use of illegal fishing gear.

Mr Obayo was speaking to journalists Thursday in his office in Bondo town barely a day after several people were caught with illegal fishing nets worth more than Sh300,000.