By Mkinga Mkinga

The security of fishermen in Lake Victoria will be improved in order to ensure that residents living around it conduct their activities peacefully. The promise was made in Mwanza yesterday by President Jakaya Kikwete when addressing a campaign rally at CCM Kirumba stadium.

Speaking in his second day of election campaigns, Mr Kikwete said security within and around the lake was of paramount importance as many people in the zone depended on lake Victoria for their survival.

He said the government would deploy a contingent of well trained police officers, who would be well equipped to deal with any criminals.He said a batch of marine police has been selected for training and the government had purchased a speedboat that would be used in the lake.

“The poor security of fishermen and their property is concerning... We will deploy more security personnel to ensure peace prevails in Lake Victoria to ensure that no one complains about net theft,” Mr Kikwete said.

In February, Tanzania received assistance from donors to help curb piracy and lawlessness in the lake which is the source of livelihood to millions of East Africans.

Robbery and piracy around Lake Victoria’s numerous islands have been on the increase in recent times with cases of missing people and stolen boats becoming common.

Mr Kikwete also promised residents of the Lake Zone that his government would pave a road from Usagara to Kisesa. He said he would like to see the project completed soon in order to connect Mwanza Region with its neighbours of Mara, Shinyanga and Kagera.

“I don’t see any reason why a person who wants to reach Musoma has to go through Mwanza while there is a direct connection to Musoma,” Mr Kikwete said. He added that he wanted to be remembered by Tanzanians on
the good things that he implemented during his presidency.

Mr Kikwete maintained that the government was still working on the
Kisorya-Ukerewe pantoon that would enable residents of the island interact easily with other areas.

He also pledged to support the cash-strapped Nyanza Cooperative,
saying the government would assist it to settle its Sh5 billion debt.

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