Gangs take over Lake Victoria

Police blame the crime in the lake on rivalry between fishermen over fishing grounds as fishermen accuse the law enforcers of laxity, writes NICHOLAS ANYUOR

The intermittent mooing of hippos and the gentle splashing of the waves are the only sounds audible in the dead of the night as the sleepy fishermen struggle to fight off sleep.

Fishermen take a break at one of the beaches in Lake Victoria. Inset: Michael Odhiambo (left) shows the spear used to kill his brother Enock Ochieng. (Right) Ochieng’s wife Margaret Adoyo. [PHOTOS: TITUS MUNALA / STANDARD]

Suddenly the eerie silence is shattered by the piercing screams and shouts for help. The anxieties of catching fish are forgotten as everybody is in mortal danger.

A sense of urgency and desperation grips the fishermen when they realise they are under attack.

Michael Odhiambo, a fisherman, has been in such situations many times. Recently, gunmen attacked his team of fishermen at Asat Beach, Kombewa Division in Kisumu County.

Odhiambo says a vicious gang is controlling the lake and strike anytime to steal fishing equipment and abduct fishermen.

This has left Odhiambo and other fishermen worried over the increased acts of piracy in Lake Victoria.

He says rivalry over fishing grounds and dwindling population of fish is fuelling the crime. This wave of crime has mostly affected residents of Kisumu and Siaya Counties.

About two years ago in Homa Bay and Migori Counties, there was hue and cry among fishermen after attackers suspected to be from Uganda terrorised Kenyan fishermen as they expanded their operation to cover deep waters.

Odhiambo recalls how they were once attacked and his brother, Enock Ochieng’, 27, killed at around 11pm. A motorboat advanced and the fishermen heard the criminals saying it was the boat they were looking for.

"We heard them plotting to seize our boat. We knew it was our day to face the wrath of criminals," he said. One gang member jumped into the fishermen’s vessel and ordered them to surrender their valuables.

Night raid

"Within a few minutes, other gangsters joined," he recalls.

"They were armed with spears and swords." In the ensuing fight, the fishermen were overwhelmed and one of the gangsters slashed Enock’s stomach, while another hit his nose with a hoe.

The gangsters demanded cash, mobile phones and other valuables.

"They grabbed whatever was within reach and then escaped. We tried to speed out of the lake but it was too late. My brother succumbed to his injuries," he recalls.

Odhiambo and his colleagues were only left with the spear used to kill his brother.

The attack has shattered the lives of the deceased’s wife, Margaret Adoyo Ochieng’ and his mother Pamela Atieno Kubi who solely depended on Enock.

"He was the sole breadwinner. I don’t know what to do and we had three children. We want justice to prevail," says Margaret.These fishermen have witnessed such incidents in the last seven months.

Asat Beach Management Unit Chairman Mr George Okello says two weeks earlier, another gang terrorised them and about 24 fishermen were injured.

He says there have been many attacks in the lake, which have been reported to the provincial administration and police.

Okello says that in the last two months, about ten attacks where over 30 fishermen were affected have been reported. The perpetrators, he notes, are well known to the victims.

Ransom demands

"The criminals take everything including mobile phones, money and other valuables," he says.

In some cases, Okello adds, the gangsters confiscate fishing boats and nets, which are released later but only after paying ransom, which ranges between Sh15,000 and Sh30,000.

"The money is sent through mobile phone money transfer services. Sometimes you take it to them personally. We know some of them and we have reported them to police," he notes.

South Seme Chief Christabel Ombok says her office has received reports and forwarded to police.

Joash Onyango Okello, the Kisumu West District Beach Management Unit Chairman explains some criminals are armed with guns.

He says some gangs’ operations and motives are difficult to understand because they splash poison in the water killing fish.

"We have reported the attacks to the police, but still no concrete action has been taken to curb the menace," he added.

However, Kombewa District Officer Mr Nicholas Kivunja says one suspect has been arrested and will be taken to court.

"I hope the due process will take its course so that justice is done. The suspect must face the law," he says.

Fishing rivalry

But he notes that criminal activities in the area are due to fight over fishing grounds.

He attributes the attacks to business rivalry among fishermen and dismissed allegations of piracy in lake Victoria.

"It is not an act of piracy. It is just fishermen fighting against each other. We have the information and something is being done to contain it," he says.

But fishermen say they are not fighting over fishing ground and accuse security agents of trivialising the matter. They further blame the Government for being insensitive to loss of lives.

"How can they say we are fighting over fishing grounds while these people are killing us and police do not take the attacks seriously? We need urgent solution to this problem," says Okello.

Fishermen, led by Kombewa Fishermen Cooperative Society Secretary have expressed fear, saying the gang is threatening their lives.

"These are people well known to some of us and they are threatening to kill us. We want the police to take action and arrest them," he says.

Nyanza Provincial Police Officer Njue Njagi says police have received reports and investigations have been initiated to determine who was executing the attacks.

The PPO, however, is convinced that the wave of crime is not the work of pirates, but a crime intensified by rivalry over fishing grounds.

The police boss pledged to eradicate the vice, promising to effect more arrests. He said one suspect is already in police custody.

"We are doing everything possible to ensure we arrest more suspects. This is a fight among fishermen over fishing ground," he said.