Can Sh3.4b State plan save lives on L Victoria?

Fishermen at Sindo beach on Lake Victoria. [File, Standard]

Each year, an estimated 500 people drown on Lake Victoria.

The carnage is so bad that recently, Martin Munga, the former Kenya Maritime Authority boss lost his job after he failed to save lives through a bungled search and rescue mission when MV Boys capsised on the lake with 10 passengers on board on August 8.

Now, the government has embarked on the construction of a maritime search and rescue coordination centre on the lake, in a plan that will cost Sh3.4 billion.

President William Ruto launched the main maritime search and rescue coordination centre in Kisumu on August 31, this year.

Four other search and rescue centres will be spread out along the lake. The centres are intended to serve Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

The Kisumu centre will serve the other SAR centres to be built in Siaya, Homabay, Migori and Busia counties.

The Lake Victoria maritime Search and Rescue Coordination centre in Kisumu will be built and operated by the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA). 

Kenya Shipyard Limited (KSL) is the contractor for the project which is expected to take eight months to complete. 

Lake Victoria is a key fishing ground for Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania and the entry into operation  of the cargo vessel, MV Uhuru II, is expected to increase activities on the expansive water body.

KSL recently handed the Sh2.4 billion Mv Uhuru II to Kenya Railways Cooperation.

The 1,800-tonne vessel measuring about 100 metres long has already made her maiden tour of Jinja in Uganda. Her local assembling is said to have saved Kenya Sh1.3 billion.

KMA currently runs a major SAR centre at the port of Mombasa that coordinates activities in the Indian Ocean . It was launched 10 years ago.

The Mombasa SAR centre which serves Kenya and the region received five boats from the European Union this week to boost its operations.

President Ruto reaffirmed the government’s commitment to revive the blue economy, enhance maritime safety and strengthen SAR operation for communities that depend on the lake.

“People die in the lake every year. We are going to make sure that our young people who go fishing are safe; we are going to build five rescue centres,” said Ruto.

There have been numerous cases of vessels capsising due to bad weather and people drowning.

KMA said the main SAR centre under construction will be operational for 24 hours daily including holidays, adding that it will operate in collaboration with Ugandan and Tanzanian agencies.

“Kenya is moving to revive transport linking the three countries through the lake,” he said.

Speaking in Kisumu, KMA director of maritime safety Julius Koech, said the project will ensure prompt dispatch of resources when distress calls are made on the lake.

“The project will ensure safe, secure water transport, enhanced GSM network on the entire lake region, dispatch of resources to callers in distress and enhanced communication technology including a toll-free communication line,” he said.

Koech added that the Authority will first ensure that all vessels in the lake region are inspected for safety  to ensure they have life-saving appliances like life jackets.

He also noted that the Kisumu centre will also be equipped with rescue assets including search and rescue boats, ambulances and evacuation helicopters.

The project consultant averred that the project entails construction of a jetty that will be multifunctional for use by all government agencies in the area. Government agencies will be involved in the coordination of search and rescue operations.

It is also anticipated that the facility will have a security control centre, an operational centre, a communication room and a training room where KMA will train coxswains and fisher folk.

The facility will also have a search and rescue regional coordination office to enable KMA  achieve its mandate as the lead agency in search and rescue operations.

Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest lake by area with various activities taking place such as fishing, passenger transport, agriculture, water tourism and recreation.

However, inadequate infrastructure, uncoordinated transport strategies and poor communication has made the lake unsafe.