News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo
February 6th, 2009
FISHING and navigation of ships, steamers, boats, canoes and all kind of water moving vessels have come to a halt owing to the fresh arrival of water hyacinth bringing business along the shorelines to a halt.
Fishermen have complained that the wed has blocked most sites of fish landing beaches and harbors mosquitoes and highly venomous snakes.
The worst affected by thick carpet of the weed include Kochia area of Homa-Bay, Kendu-Bay, Kendu –Bay, Asembo, Uyoma, Seme and Nyakach in the Winam Gulf. Its fresh invasion has also been reported in areas like Bondo , Suba and Migori districts sending the market retail of fish skyrocketing to an unaffordable proportion.
Scientists attributed the latest invasion to change in wind pattern. One of the scientists Dr. Richard Abila, who is an assistant director of the Kisumu based Fisheries and Marine Researcgh Institute was quiotred last week as saying this and a drop in concentration of weevils used to biologically remove the weed, have led to its rejuvenation.
Dr. Abila said, “ The wind normally blows to the east between November and February, bringing with it weed from the west where it may not have been eliminated fully.”
The latest invasion come in the wake of reports that Uganda is delaying the implementation of the Second World Bank Lake Victoria Environmental Management Programme [LVEMP}.The Kshs 13.5 billion regional programme was expected to to cater for the use of weevils to destroy the weed. This development is likely to lead to further delay of the prospect.”
Lake Basin Commission executive secretary Dr. Tom Okurut attributed th delayed documentation to legislation.
“Unlike other partner states approval of the project after the study must be done by Parliament,”said Okurut.
Partner states are expected to prepare proposals to be communicated to the World Bank for approval.
The project was to commence in January last year, but was delayed due to post-election violence in Kenya for four months, which consumed the best part of ealy last year.
In Aprill, the KVEMP 11 was again postponed to August, due to bureaucracy. Mr. Okurut said, adding that the World Bank had initially set aside money for the project, but would only release it after partner states approved the programme.
The water hyacinth is a free floating aquatic plant native to tropical South America.It can grow to a height of three feet and has thick heavily branches fibrous toots.
The weed has striking blue to violet flowers, and moves with the waves from bay to bay, blocking waterways and affecting aquatic life as it sucks oxygen from the water
It contains minerals which can be used to make fertilizer .The weed has also been used in making mats, baskets and furniture.. But once it block the waterway navigation in the area become the most harrowing and difficult.
Ends\
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