President Uhuru Kenyatta was on Sunday shocked with the state of Lake Victoria when he looked through and couldn't see water.
According to officials at the port, Uhuru who was yet to come face to face with the water hyacinth menace was shocked when he saw the actual effect of the water plant as it had covered the waters of the lake to a magnitude one couldn't see the water even with a stretched focus across the horizon.
The head of state reportedly downplayed the 4,000-tonne dredging machine, doubting its ability to eradicate the weed, terming it too small.
"The President was shocked that he could not see water, as the weed had covered every bit of the lake. He said an urgent and deliberate decision must be made to save the lake and the port. He looked at the prototype hyacinth harvester and said it was too small,” an official told the Standard.
The County Chief Protocol Bob Madanji said that Uhuru made the surprise visit to the lake and even left his security detail at Kisumu International Airport after being convinced by opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Madanji added that the President vowed to spearhead the clearing of the lake.
“He looked very concerned and said the national government would do all it could (to rid the lake of the weed). He said the port should be back to its former status within the next one year,” Madanji told the paper.
The machine which has been leased by Uganda based Mango Tree Group through a partnership with Lake Region Economic Bloc, the county government of Kisumu and the national government was also procured to be used to deepen the lake by removing silt.