Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho has sparked a major public health and legal controversy by sanctioning the resumption of fishing in Lake Nakuru despite serious concerns about contamination and the grave risk to consumers.
The CS ordered the police and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to allow fishing despite warnings by experts that the lake’s catch is contaminated and, therefore, unfit for human consumption.
This directive allowing fishermen to obtain licences and access the lake has revived fears over food safety, public health and pollution.
The CS told police officers in Nakuru not to arrest fishermen in the lake, asserting that he holds authority over fisheries. Though his mandate is not in doubt, it should be enforced to enhance safety while promoting livelihoods.
Unauthorised fishing
The Kenya Fisheries Service, the KWS, and the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute have all confirmed that the lake’s fish are unsafe for human consumption. A study carried out in April detected lead and parasites in the fish from Lake Nakuru exceeding the permissible lead safety limits.
Lake Nakuru is a protected national park, making commercial or unauthorised fishing illegal under conservation laws despite increased local pressure to harvest the resource.
Though Nakuru County leaders had complained that the restrictions threatened livelihoods, CS Joho’s hasty response is a source of concern. This is a grave matter that should not be politicised.
He publicly contradicted the government’s earlier position and its 2024 fishing ban. But CS Joho’s order was not backed by any new evidence confirming that the fish is now safe to eat. The KWS had warned that, apart from polluted fish, the lake is a protected area.
Sewage discharges into the lake, solid and liquid waste from residential and commercial areas, and industries are the causes of the pollution. The government should first eliminate these before allowing the resumption of fishing in the lake.