Tanzania: Vice-President Orders Curbs On Lake Victoria Illegal Fishing

Vice-President Ms Samia Suluhu Hassan has ordered state agencies to stop illegal fishing - at least within the Tanzania waters - of Lake Victoria.

Ms Suluhu issued the directive at a public rally at Mkendo grounds within Musoma Municipality of Mara Region, where she called on the district and regional security committees to act and treat illegal fishing in much the same way as they do drug abuse.

"The war against illegal fishing should be at par with the war against drugs (madawa ya kulevya). This is my directive to defence and security committees ... they should work to end (this) illegal fishing," the VP ordered, as she wound up her working tour of Mara region.

She also urged people living along Lake Victoria to recognize illegal fishing for what it really was: That it wasn't a good thing even for their own health. "See ... we always have to keep alert... illegal fishing is bad for you," she reminded her audiences repeatedly.

Tanzania: Vice-President Orders Curbs On Lake Victoria Illegal Fishing

On his part, Musoma DC (Dr Vincent Naano) pointed fingers at some dishonest officials -- including those from the fisheries department, the police and village leaders - as among those fuelling illegal fishing, calling them "the biggest challenge" facing the war against wanton plunder of the resource.

Earlier, the VP had inspected various multibillion development projects that were said to be making good progress, such as the 45bn/- water project that is billed to end water scarcity within the municipality and its neighbouring villages, where the vice-president was visibly impressed by progress made thus far.

She also urged district councils to embrace the use of EFD machines in revenue collection, a move that she said would help them improve social services such as construction of classrooms and toilets in public schools.