Women in fishing communities across Kisumu County received an economic boost after Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga distributed empowerment equipment, including seven motorised fishing boats, in a bid to reduce dependence on transactional sex for fish and improve livelihoods.
Speaking during the handover at Asat Beach in Seme Constituency, Odinga said the intervention targets women who have long been vulnerable to exploitation in the fishing industry by giving them direct access to fishing equipment and alternative income-generating opportunities.
The package included seven motorised fishing boats, two water tanks, two water pumps, an incubator, a peanut grinding machine, a car wash machine and an air compressor, which were distributed to women's groups and self-help groups across Seme.
"When I sought the seat of Kisumu County Woman Representative, I was very deliberate because we cannot uplift the livelihoods of our people when we are half-hearted about it," Odinga said.
She also presented Sh2.3 million in cheques to various self-help groups, while 10 groups, including those from the Jua Kali sector, received value-addition equipment they had requested from her office to expand their businesses and create employment.
Odinga said the initiative is intended to promote sustainable livelihoods.
She added that empowering communities with productive assets is a more sustainable approach than issuing handouts.
"We can't solve some of the problems affecting our people by lining them up and issuing handouts. We must invest in initiatives that enable people to become self-reliant," she said.
The Woman Representative also welcomed the recently passed Fisheries Bill, describing it as a landmark law that will transform the lives of Lake Victoria beach communities.
She said the Bill provides for the formal recognition of Beach Management Units (BMUs), which will receive salaries once the legislation is enacted into law, while also addressing long-standing challenges such as double taxation by the national and county governments.
Odinga further said the law strengthens measures to tackle piracy on Lake Victoria, enhancing security for fishermen and protecting their livelihoods.
She thanked President William Ruto for selecting Asat Beach for modernisation, saying the project will position it among Kenya's most advanced fishing hubs.
According to Odinga, between 180 and 200 women's groups in Seme have already benefited from the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) through financial support and equipment aimed at improving household incomes.
On security, the Woman Representative linked insecurity in the county to politicians whom she said sponsor criminal gangs, saying the practice continues to fuel violence.
"We are talking about insecurity in Kisumu, yet the free money and goonism being sponsored by political leaders are the fuel firing it. We must be deliberate about tackling insecurity," she said.
Odinga vowed to continue pushing for measures to curb insecurity, saying she would remain steadfast in the fight even if it meant standing alone.
She said empowering women, strengthening the fisheries sector and creating employment opportunities remain critical to transforming the economy of Kisumu's beach communities.
