The water hyacinth in Lake Victoria. [Photo/ standardmedia.co.ke]
The county government of Kisumu is seeking assistance from a foreign investor to help fight the water hyacinth in Lake Victoria.Deputy Governor Dr Ochieng Owili said on Thursday the county government will hold talks with prospective companies before selecting a firm that will help fight the aquatic tree that threatens the existence of the lake.Dr Owili spoke one year after the British government promised to intervene and save Lake Victoria from water hyacinth which has invaded most of its shores.British High Commissioner to Kenya Nic Hailey said then that his government was at an advanced stage of negotiation with the Kenyan government in an agreement which will see British companies invest in biogas production using the stubborn weed."The water hyacinth is a big mess in the lake. It's our duty to ensure it is fought because it threatens the livelihoods of Kisumu people who rely on fishing," Dr Owili said in his office.He said negotiations through the Ministry of Energy would see water hyacinth and solid waste turned into energy for electricity production.Water hyacinth has become a menace for the lake users in the recent past with fishing and transport activities within the lake paralysed, affecting economies of the 13 counties bordering the water body.