ational Assembly’s Regional Integration committee delegation touring Kisumu & Kuria Regions
By: John Kariuki
Worth Noting:
- Coletha underscored the importance of the MLVMCT projects saying that it will develop the East African Maritime Transport Strategy & LV, Strengthen the implementation of Lake Victoria Transport Act 2007 and its Regulations, and Oil Spill Contingency Plan for Lake Victoria among other benefits.
- She emphasized the need for promotion of eco-diplomacy to address transboundary challenges within the region which she said will help in addressing the Kenya – Uganda Migingo matter.
- The committee delegation also engaged the outgoing Kisumu County Commissioner, Ms. Josephine Ouko and underlined the need to come up with a harmonised law within East African member States to tackle arbitrary arrest of fishermen operating in Lake Victoria by the neighbouring Uganda.
Harmonized operational legislation among the East African Member States are key for making strides towards operationalizing existing EAC treaties.
The Chair of the National Assembly’s Regional Integration committee delegation touring Kisumu & Kuria Regions on a fact finding mission on border post operations, Hon. Farah Salah Yaqub indicated that existing gaps in legislation for the operations of certain East African Community related institution require urgent review.
Speaking during a visit to the East African Communty Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC), Hon. Salah said that the LVBC is an old regional commission established 16 years ago yet the commission had not been fully empowered with resources and personnel to perform its duties adequately.
The Regional Integration committee on an oversight mission to Nyanza and Western region had called on the LVBC’s Deputy Executive Secretary, Eng. Coletha Ruhamya and sought to know the status of the operation of the LVBC.
Eng. Coletha informed members of the delegation that the regional body was currently understaffed particularly on key areas of operation hence hindering effective delivery of service.
She further indicated that there had been funding challenges resulting from member countries defaulting from reminting their annual subscription fees.
Eng. Coletha however told members that despite bottlenecks experienced by the body, plans were underway to complete the institutions headquarter office which she hoped would give LVBC a home and a face lift.
“I think it is important that we seek for re-integration of Kenya into the Multinational Lake Victoria Maritime Communication and Transport Project
(MLVMCT) project and pursuit of a regional approach to maritime issues on LV” said Eng. Coletha.
Eng. Coletha underscored the importance of the MLVMCT projects saying that it will develop the East African Maritime Transport Strategy & LV, Strengthen the implementation of Lake Victoria Transport Act 2007 and its Regulations, and Oil Spill Contingency Plan for Lake Victoria among other benefits.
She emphasized the need for promotion of eco-diplomacy to address transboundary challenges within the region which she said will help in addressing the Kenya – Uganda Migingo matter.
The committee delegation also engaged the outgoing Kisumu County Commissioner, Ms. Josephine Ouko and underlined the need to come up with a harmonised law within East African member States to tackle arbitrary arrest of fishermen operating in Lake Victoria by the neighbouring Uganda.
Outgoing Kisumu County Commissioner Josephine Ouko while citing that lack of harmonised law has seen Kenyans getting detained up to one year in the foreign country; a move that members condemned saying that the action goes against the spirit of integration of the EAC.
“Among other offences, Kenyans who cross to the Ugandan waters are arrested for lacking documents and using illegal fishing gears”, said Ms. Ouko
She proposed to have a joint enforcement at the level of EAC to effectively manage conflicts within the communities sharing the world’s second largest fresh-water lake including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi.
While at the Isebania – Sirare Border Post in Country, Kuria East constituency, the committee delegation raised concerns with the border post management regarding low revenue collection.
The station manager, Mr. Geoffrey Langat, informed members of the regional integration committee that they had put in place measure to curb smuggling of goods including; verification of imported good, land border patrol, lake patrol, facilitation of movement of persons across the border among other measure.
Mr. Langat asked members to intervene with legislation that fully operationalize the Isebania OSBP Operations which he said were currently on a piloting process.
The committee delegation has been on a four – day fact finding mission in Western and Nyanza regions as part of its oversight role to establish operations of Border Posts and Regional Institutions in the country.
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