The Kenya Wildlife Service has issued a strong warning over the circulation of fish deemed unsafe for human consumption, highlighting a growing public health threat from Lake Nakuru.
Authorities say large quantities of contaminated fish are being harvested illegally and sold in markets across the country, putting consumers at risk.
Speaking to the Senate on Tuesday, KWS Director General Erustus Kanga said the illegal trade is creating a nationwide health crisis.
“A lot of fish are leaving Nakuru and getting distributed across the country. What you are listening to is a description of a national health crisis in this country. People are taking fish that have been declared unfit for human consumption, and they are being freely distributed. We are killing Kenyans. Anyone consuming tilapia in this country, unless it is labelled that it is from Lake Victoria, should be wary that it could be coming from Lake Nakuru,” Kanga warned.
He explained that rising water levels in the lake have made it easier for local residents to collect fish, sometimes directly from flooded areas around their homes. This has complicated enforcement efforts, as some harvesters ignore the protected status of the park while others resist regulations altogether.
“The lake has expanded its banks, we are seeing people collecting fish from their own homesteads, the only people that are deterred from coming in are the ones that breach the boundaries of the lake. We are in a health crisis of consuming fish that has been declared unfit for human consumption,” he said.
“I take exception to that. We have tried to enforce the law, but because of activism, people are still continuing to get fish, and people are selling poison fish to unsuspecting Kenyans, particularly in Nairobi and other cities. I hope the Senate will take up that matter.”
Kanga reiterated that fishing is strictly forbidden within Lake Nakuru National Park, a protected area dedicated to conservation and biodiversity.
"The size of Lake Nakuru National Park, where we have water, is between 35 and 60 square kilometres. That is a small area purely protected for biodiversity, and no one is allowed to fish there,” he said.
He attributed the contamination to pollution, including untreated sewage, which makes the fish dangerous and could expose consumers to serious diseases, including cancer. KWS is now calling on the Senate to intervene urgently and stop the circulation of unsafe fish to protect public health.