Fishmongers in Lake Turkana are counting losses following the pullout of some buyers from the DRC. Nanam Fish Company director Emmanuel Ekal said traders have not transported fish for sale to DRC in four months. “We depend on fish for our daily income. Since the ebola outbreak in the DRC, we haven’t seen buyers coming to Lake Turkana to buy our fish. Before the ebola outbreak, there would be a snarlup of trucks along Kalokol awaiting fish for export,” he said.
“Turkana county and the national government should find a better way of helping fishmongers in Lake Turkana by locating a market place for them. We have a lot of fish in our stores, but getting the market is a problem because we only relay on the DRC for export.”
Ekal said the price of fish has declined from Sh400 to Sh100. The DRC government, through WHO confirmed the outbreak of ebola disease on Tuesday that has killed 17 people in five weeks.
Lucy Akuwom, a fish dealer in Kalokolo, said she solely depends on the sale of fish to feed and educate her children. She has urged the county government to look for alternative markets. Peter Aleper said the price of fish has gone down as the demand has depreciated.
“DRC is our main external market for fish. The outbreak of ebola has halted our business and scared fishmongers from coming to Lake Turkana as they are restricted to contain ebola,” he said. Turkan deputy governor Peter Lotethiro raised concerns over the outbreak of ebola in the DRC.
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