KWS RAISES ALARM OVER CONTAMINATED FISH BEING SOLD TO KENYANS

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has issued a public health warning over the distribution of fish deemed unfit for human consumption, with large quantities reportedly making their way from Lake Nakuru to markets across the country.

Speaking before the Senate, KWS Director General Erustus Kanga cautioned that unsuspecting Kenyans, particularly in urban centres like Nairobi, could be consuming contaminated fish that poses serious health risks.

“A lot of fish are leaving Nakuru and getting distributed across the country. What you are listening to is a description of a national health crisis in this country. People are taking fish that have been declared unfit for human consumption, and they are being freely distributed. We are killing Kenyans,” Kanga warned.

He advised consumers to exercise caution, noting that unless fish is clearly labelled as originating from Lake Victoria, it could potentially be coming from Lake Nakuru.

The KWS Director General attributed the situation to the recent expansion of the lake, which has caused water to encroach into surrounding areas, making it easier for residents to access and harvest fish, sometimes even from their own homesteads. He noted that despite ongoing enforcement efforts, illegal harvesting continues, partly due to resistance from activists.

“The lake has expanded its banks, we are seeing people collecting fish from their own homesteads,” Kanga explained. “We are in a health crisis of consuming fish that has been declared unfit for human consumption.”

He shared frustration over the challenges faced in enforcing the law, stating, “I take exception to that. We have tried to enforce the law, but because of activism, people are still continuing to get fish, and people are selling poison fish to unsuspecting Kenyans, particularly in Nairobi and other cities. I hope the Senate will take up that matter.”

The contamination, he explained, is linked to pollution, including the lake’s proximity to sewage, rendering the fish unsafe for human consumption and potentially exposing consumers to diseases such as cancer.