Lake security laws on the way

A fisherman loads his fishing gear onto a cart at the Ngege beach April 1, 2014. Common security and rescue policies are being developed to govern member states sharing Lake Victoria. PHOTO/TOM OTIENO

What you need to know:

  • The states will use a common telephone code to communicate to the stations to improve coordination and response to distress calls.

Common security and rescue policies are being developed to govern member states sharing Lake Victoria.

Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi will be subject to laws that are being harmonised by the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala).

Lake Victoria Basin Commission Executive Secretary Canisius Kanangire said the laws would improve communication and rescue services within the lake.

“East African Community seeks to develop strategies aimed at increasing cooperation among the riparian states on the use and management of the second largest fresh water lake in the world,” said Dr Kanangire.

Addressing a press conference at the Kisumu regional offices at the weekend, Dr Kanangire said the states had already agreed to establish an East African maritime rescue centre in Musoma, Tanzania.

There would also be 18 well-equipped rescue stations within the lake region with trained personnel.

The states will use a common telephone code to communicate to the stations to improve coordination and response to distress calls.

“The telephone number 110 has already been gazetted for the purpose. Whenever there is distress, just dial the number and the nearest rescue station will be alerted,” said Dr Kanangire. He said the measures would reduce the number of deaths in the lake. According to 2013 statistics, 5,000 people die in Lake Victoria every year.

The move is expected to address complaints that different regulations were not only hurting the users, but also made coordination difficult whenever an accident occurred.

The executive secretary said installation of state-of-the-art buoys and flashlights to mark safe routes for vessels in the lake had started.

“Part of the project is coordinated by the Maritime Authority. However, the agency does not have enough funds to fully implement the project,” he added.

There are other efforts being made by the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation in Jinja, Uganda, to ensure that fisheries policies are fair to every state.

Dr Kanangire said fisheries laws would be harmonised by December, while the Water Rights Bill for the Lake Victoria Board would soon be tabled before Eala.