Three fishermen have been confirmed to have died in various ways over the past three days while fishing on Lake Victoria in Homa Bay County.
Moses Ngigi reportedly died after falling into the lake while going for a swim at Uyoga Beach in the Suva North constituency on Sunday night.
He could not swim and died instantly. Fellow fishermen searched for the body and recovered it several hours later.
His body was moved to MED 25 Kirindo Mortuary.
This happened after two other fishermen, Paul Otieno and George Otieno, drowned in the lake on Friday.
Paul, who lives on Sale Beach, south of Suva, drowned when he went to Nyatike to look for bait for fishing.
He slipped from the boat into the lake. The efforts of his fellow fishermen to save him were also in vain.
His body disappeared into the water until it was recovered on Saturday. His body was moved to the Manyatta Kobodo mortuary.
George drowned at Osiri Beach in the Suva South constituency. He slipped from a boat and drowned during a fishing expedition with his colleagues.
His body was moved to the mortuary of Niijima County Hospital.
Homa Bay County Beach Management Network Chairman Edward Oremo urged the Kenya Coast Guard to strengthen compliance with safety measures.
He said there was an urgent need to strengthen security for fishermen in the lake.
“We cannot sacrifice the safety of Lake Victoria. It is very sad to lose three fishermen in such a short period of time,” Oremo said.
He also called on the Kenya Maritime Authority and the Homa Bay government to consider establishing a rescue center for fishermen at the lake.
Mr Oremo said the lives of many fishermen who drowned in the lake would have been saved if the center had been established.
The Chairperson called for increased safety measures on Lake Victoria following the loss of fishermen's lives.
“If we had a rescue center, some of our deceased colleagues might have been saved,” Oremo said.
He directed all coastal chairmen in the county to detain fishermen fishing in lakes without wearing life jackets.
“Let all beach management department chairs ensure that fishermen entering the lake wear life jackets,” Oremo added.
