Fishermen in Migori have warned politicians seeking office to prioritise solar-powered omena drying shades or forget their votes.
They said they are tired of being cheated by politicians, both in the county and national government.
“Each time they come to seek our votes they promise to give us solar-powered omena drying shades. We can’t take that lie anymore,” Justus Sabare, the Sori Beach Management Unit secretary, said.
He said in Migori out of 40 wards, only Kachieng, Kanyasa, Got Kachola, Muhuru Bay and North Kadem have benefited.
In the just concluded ODM primaries all elected MCAs were floored by newcomers over unfulfilled pledges to fishermen.
“We have been forced to dry our omena and ochonga, or fresh water shrimps, on sand which gets worse when it rains,” Kibro Beach Management Unit chairman Joel Maulidi said.
The two leaders said the solar dying shades has been their key grievance in the primaries and August 9 polls.
“While fishing is devolved, we have also tasked the national leaders especially the woman representative and MP on the issue,” he said.
George Oloo and Don Carlos Otieno, fishermen and boat owners at Sori beach, said because of poor drainage and lack of trenches, most beaches are pathetic when it rains.
“When we don’t dry our omena and ochong’a they go bad so we are forced to dry them on the mud we end up selling them cheaply as animal feed,” Oloo said.
Muhuru Bay MCA Hevron Maira said it was true that the issue of solar powered drying shades have not been realised.
“We have promised it and it was in our proposals, we are yet to actualise it in budgets,” he said.
A week ago, Migori Governor Okoth Obado during a public function said his administration has done a lot for the fishing sector.
Obado said Migori has given out Sh3.5 million fingerlings to farmers, three tones of fish feeds and distributed 675 life jackets.
“We have also given 13 patrol boats for beach management units, issued four fish cages and 40 harvesting nets for Sh14million,” Obado said.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)
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