Police officers from Uganda are holding at least 30 fishermen nabbed in Lake Victoria over allegations of crossing into the Ugandan side of the lake.
The group was nabbed on Saturday, and is said to be hailing from Suba North and Suba South constituencies in Homa Bay County.
They were arrested by officers from the Ugandan Revenue Authority, who as well confiscated their fishing gear, engines and fish whose value is yet to be disclosed.
This was confirmed by Homa Bay County Commissioner Harman Shambi, who said that the state of the situation remains unknown as there is no official communication yet.
“We have not gotten an official communication from Uganda take appropriate measures into the matter,” he said, even as it emerges that the group is being detained at Hama Island.
The arrest followed an earlier raid on Kiwa and Sare beaches that saw 15 fishermen and five boats nabbed, with fishermen representatives now decrying recurrent harassment.
Homa Bay County Beach Management Unit Network Chair Edward Oremo said that such have been on the increase lately, leaving fishermen counting losses.
"Fishermen are tired of making losses in the hands of Ugandan authorities. Today, their fishing gears, boats and fish worth unknown value have been taken besides fines which will be imposed on them. For how long will continue suffering in hands of Uganda?” posed Oremo.