Government is committed in addressing Water hyacinth menace-PS

 WATER HYACINTH MENACE:PS in the State Department of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Charles Sunkuli{R} address the press during a courtesy call at Kisumu County Commissioner's office where he said the National Government is fully committed in addressing the water hyacinth menace in the Lake Victoria.With him is Kisumu County Commissioner Maalim Mohamed{C} and Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project II Coordinator Francisca Owuor.Photo By Dickson Odhiambo.

 By Dickson Odhiambo.


May 26,2017


Government is committed in addressing Water hyacinth menace-PS


THE Government is very much committed in addressing the issue of the 

dreaded water hyacinth in Lake Victoria region.


The Principal Secretary in the State Department of Environment Charles
Sunkuli says the dreaded weed is a major challenge but the government is
fully committed in addressing the issue.


Speaking at Kisumu County Commissioner’s office during a courtesy call, the
PS said the Government is working on both short and long term measures to
address the issue of the water hyacinth in the Lake Victoria.


 “Water hyacinth is a challenge, we understand that but as a government we
are working on it to get both long term solution and short term
solutions,’’ the PS says.


While stating some of the solutions put in place to handle the menace on
the Lake the Ps said the government has come out with four measures to end
water hyacinth.


He says that one of the methods to be used is mechanical removal of the
weed which is the use of machines to remove the hyacinth, on the Lake
Victoria.


 However he says the technology in place is not fully developed and that is
what the government is looking at it keenly to ensure technology works.


“Manual removal is the use of labor available to uproot the water hyacinth
from the Lake. This manual removal was first directed by the head of state
of which should be taking place soon by labor available from this region,”
he adds. 


The PS says the use of biological methods to remove water hyacinth on the
Lake is a long term process that will require much time and more
facilitation by the government.


“In addition to that a new interest has come from private sector that we
can use this water hyacinth to generate energy. We already have requested
for an impressed so that we provide an opportunity for energy production
from water hyacinth, ”the PS said.


The PS assures the public that the four approaches put in place will end
the water hyacinth problem.


However the PS distanced himself away from addressing the budget allocated
for this mechanisms put in place.


 He said that there are several stake holders in place with their budgets.
The stake holders mentioned include Kenya Ports Authority, National youth
service and the Ministry of Environment.


The National Coordinator of the Lake Victoria Environment Management
Project II{LVEMP II} Francisca Owuor has urged the media to educate the
public on effects of pollution that has been chocking the Lake Victoria.


 ‘’Companies and factories around the lake should stop discharging
their raw waste in the Lake,”she said.


She adds that the issue of washing vehicles along the shores of the Lake is
one of the major causes of pollution in the Lake Victoria that needs to be
fully addressed.


Water hyacinth has been a major stabling bloc for the growing economy of
counties along the Lake region.



The majority who have been depending on the Lake for their income are now
facing hard time due to this menace that has been existing since several
years ago.


However the residents may end up gating a lasting solution to the problem
in the near future.


ENDS: