Lamu fishermen have accused the National Land Commission for failing to protect fish landing sites, making them easy targets for land grabbers.
There are 40 fish landing sites in Lamu and none has a title deed, which makes it hard to keep land grabbers and private developers away.
Fishermen have repeatedly complained that the lack of well-defined fish landing sites is the major reason why the sector hasn’t expanded.
Lamu Fisherfolk Association spokesperson Ali Abdalla called on the NLC to conduct fresh surveys with a view to issuing titles for the landing sites.
“Private developers have set up hotels, resorts and residential houses in these landing sites. There are no deeds and therefore all we can do is cry out and hope that the NLC will do its due diligence and recover the grabbed ones and also provide deeds for the rest. The fishing sector is incomplete without these landing sites. It’s like having vehicles but no road to drive on,” Abdalla said.
The fishermen expressed concern that they will soon have to close down the trade if all landing sites fall into the hands of grabbers.
In 2018, the President directed that all gazetted fish landing sites in the country be issued with title deeds.
They asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to remember them and revisit the directive by ensuring it is effected.
“All we want is for the landing sites to be left alone. We urge the President to revisit the issue,” Abdalla said.
Local activists have thrown their weight behind the fishermen’s plea and are urging the NLC to locate, map and sort out all disputes related to fish landing sites in the region.
“We expect the commission to move in and reclaim all grabbed landing sites and issue them with deeds so this trend comes to a stop once and for all,” Khadija Sufu said.
The fishing industry is a leading economic activity in Lamu, with over 6,000 fishermen spread across the archipelago.
Lamu Fisheries officer Simon Komu cited lack of proper documentation of the landing sites as the major hurdle facing the sector.