Multi-Million Hyacinth Machine Lies Idle as Weed Chokes Lake Victoria

A water bus docks in the middle of water hyacinth

The Lake Victoria Environment Management Project  is on the spot over suspected irregularities in the procurement of a Sh76 million dredging machine.

The machine that is meant to remove the invasive water hyacinth from the lake lies idle as the weed spreads.

Lawmakers have questioned LVEMP project for having received over Sh4 billion from the World Bank for tree planting among other projects yet no has been felt yet!

Environment and Natural Resources Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko and LVEMP project manager Fransisca Owuor had a hard time yesterday when they appeared before the Regional Integration Committee of the National Assembly to explain why the machine acquired in 2016 is not in use.

LVEMP is largely funded by the World Bank but has been unable to deal with the intrusive weed about 21 years since it was established.

Image result for hyacinth in lake victoria

The MPs have also raised concerns that the LVEMP project has received over Sh4 billion from the World Bank for tree planting among other projects, but the impact is yet to be felt among the local community.

But it emerged that LVEMP procured the dredging machine well aware that it did not have the right specifications to deal with the weed that has made transportation of goods and fishing expeditions in the second largest fresh water lake in the world difficult.

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