The Ministry of Interior is working on a long-term plan to provide adequate security in Lake Victoria following constant complaints from Kenyan fishermen.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi announced that a multi-agency unit is finalising the plan that will come up with measures to address insecurity challenges in the lake.

“We’re jointly doing the plan, with our colleagues in the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and other security organs,” he stated while meeting Kisumu County police commanders on Monday.

Matiangi says the government is keen to address once and for all concerns and challenges faced by lake users in the region.

In the plan, the CS hinted, is deployment of more security officers to patrol the lake.

Fishermen in the lake, the second large fresh water lake in the world, have persistently pleaded with the government to address insecurity in the lake.

Cases of fishermen losing fishing gear to robbers, harassment from police officers from neighbouring countries and boats capsizing in the lake have been common.

Matiangi says such challenges will be addressed once the plan is finalised and implemented.

“The challenges that our people have had before, we are going to have them come to an end. We are putting more resources because we want this part of our country to be safe and secure as we move forward,” he said.

Matiangi who was accompanied by Inspector General of police Joseph Boinnet and Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho, also revisited the issue of housing for police officers.

The CS says President Uhuru Kenyatta is keen to ensure that security officers are decently housed commensurate to the work and duties they perform in the country.

He says President Kenyatta has made it clear that before the year 2022, he must ensure that infrastructure for the police service is adequately addressed.

“I want to tell you my colleagues, life will never be the same again in this issue of police accommodation, we are going to sort it out completely,” he assured.

He reported that police houses in Karatina and Kamukunji are near complete and the officers will be moving to their new houses.

Source: All Africa