Fish traders at the Lake Victoria shore in Kisumu are resisting plans by the county government to demolish their stalls saying they will lose their jobs.
The traders want any plans to build the stalls put on hold until they are involved fully in the making of the stalls and decisions on who should occupy them upon completion.
“We have to be absolutely sure that we will have our jobs upon completion. There should also be a transition plan to ensure that as the stalls are being made, we have where to continue with our trade,” one of the traders said.
The county, in a new plan tabled at the assembly, wants to demolish all fish-selling stalls near the lake, design a lakefront for tourists and make the beaches to international standards in the lakeside county’s bid to woo local and international tourists.
However, county assembly’s Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage Committee chair Jackton Onunga said the move is part of an initiative by the county to attract more investors.
“This is to ensure that more jobs are created and no one should be worried,” he said.
He added that the residents should be happy that the county was trying to use the advantage of the lake to add to its revenue.
“We want to ensure that when tourists visit the lake, they are welcomed by fish and other foodstuffs sold in internationally-accepted standard stalls,” said Onunga.
Onunga said the lakefront will also enable the county government to start water-tourism sports.