The lake I grew up swimming and fishing in now fills me with dread. Industrial pollutants have poisoned Lake Victoria - the second largest freshwater lake in the world - killing fish and playing havoc with the health of my community, especially women who make up nearly 80% of the people whose livelihood is linked to fishing. 

In recent years as the water quality drastically declined affecting marine life, it put pressure on the local community and women to find ways to make a living and feed their families. Fishermen start demanding sex in exchange for fish. And women who largely do not own boats and go fishing, have no choice but to agree. This practice of jobuya (sex-for-fish) became rampant, putting women at a greater risk of sexual exploitation and HIV. 

Fellow citizens, as you can see this is no longer just an environmental issue. It is a health and gender issue as well. As a youth leader from Siaya who feels strongly about environment protection, public health, HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health, I believe it is up to me to speak out for my community.

Through this petition, I am calling on the Kisumu County Government and partner agencies including the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to regulate and effect proper waste disposal by industries immediately. We need a robust action plan with timelines immediately because the time to fix this problem was yesterday.

This issue goes beyond Siaya and Kenya, it affects fishing communities in Tanzania and Uganda that surround Lake Victoria.

Please sign my petition so that our voices are heard by the authorities. Every signature counts.

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