President Uhuru Kenyatta Bans Chinese Fish From Kenyan Market

President Uhuru Kenyatta has banned the importation of fish from China noting that the fish was strangling the local market.

Speaking on Tuesday during the 2018 SMEs conference at Strathmore University President Kenyatta questioned why the fish was available in the Kenyan market.

"I have been told about the imported fish from China. It is not possible that we import Chinese fish when our local traders are here," the Head of State stated.

Uhuru noted that though the Finance Bill 2018 was signed to law, it does not mean that imports be replaced with what is available in the local market.

His sentiments come amidst public outcry over the unregulated importation of fish from China with fishermen lamenting on how the foreign fish had flooded markets and called upon the government to intervene.

In June this year, fishermen at Lake Naivasha observed that the foreign fish had flooded markets while Governor Lee Kinyanjui ordered all Chinese nationals involved in fishing activities in the Lake to stop with immediate effect.

This followed complaints that the foreigners were behind a decline in fish catches due to the use of under-size nets.

The foreign investors were licensed to harvest Crayfish by the previous county government three years ago but have since exhausted the stock and are now targeting other species.

Kinyanjui wondered why they were allowed to fish in the lake at the expense of tens of jobless youths.

In 2016, Kisumu governor Jack Ranguma asked the national government to impose a 100 per cent ban on fish imports from China arguing there was no logical rationale for allowing the trade which had already affected the local fish market.