Scientists have raised an alarm over the rising pollution levels in Lake Victoria, which are contributing to recurring fish deaths across the lake. In findings published by the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, the presence of oil layers in parts of the lake and high concentrations of ammonium and nitrite have shown evidence of the discharge of toxic effluent into the freshwater body. As Laura Otieno reports, the findings have renewed calls for stricter enforcement of existing environmental protection frameworks.
RUN VCR
VO

By Viola Kosome

KISUMU, Kenya - Maurice Ouko watches his two-month-old tilapia dart through the water inside his fish cage on Lake Victoria, moments after feeding time. Nearby, a small floating house, its door facing the cage, shelters a night guard tasked with protecting the fish from thieves.

For Ouko and other cage fish farmers in Kisumu, the round-the-clock surveillance is a necessary expense as they wait months for their stock to mature and fetch a price at market.