Ugandan police ‘arrest’ in Siaya after confiscating Kenyan fishing boat

Fishermen from Nampo and Hong beaches in Siaya County’s Bondo sub-county have arrested a Ugandan man believed to be a police officer near Koyo Beach on Lake Victoria.

According to Nampo Beach chief Alfred Oshinge, Ugandan officers attacked the fishermen in Lake Victoria on Friday, July 16, around 10 p.m. and confiscated their boats.

“Then our fishermen were asked to board the Ugandan boat which had an officer on board,” Osheng said, adding that other officers proceeded to patrol to look for more fishermen while the officer remained with the fishermen who had been arrested for rowing to Segulu Island in Uganda.

However, they were lucky when the officer mistook the address on Segulu Island and began asking them where to go.

They directed him to Hongi Beach, detained him, and confiscated the Ugandan boat.

Ellie Masindi, a Hongi Beach official, said the officer, who was dressed in full Ugandan army uniform, was picked up by officers from Osinji Police Station, and rescued from an angry mob.

The other Ugandan officers were aboard two Kenyan fishing boats.

“We have always asked the Kenyan government to reinforce patrols in the lake to protect us from such attacks, but not much has been done,” Masindi said.

This comes nearly a week after Siaya District Commissioner Mohamed Barre and Bundo Member of Parliament Gideon Ochanda met with local fishermen.