Fishermen in Kilifi have raised alarm over the presence of unregistered foreign vessels. The vessels are said to dock in landing sites at night to offload products from unknown areas.
According to Kassim Shali, a fisherman at the Mnarani landing site, last week an unknown dhow docked at the Mnarani landing site carrying sacks of sugar which was later offloaded to a lorry.
The fishermen raised security concerns that the vessels could be carrying firearms and drugs and called on the police to investigate the movements of the vessels.
“This country is faced with a security threat. We want both the police and the Fisheries Department to be vigilant because we fear these vessels could be from Somalia,” said one of the fishermen.
On Tuesday another unregistered vessel docked with a consignment of timber which was offloaded at night and taken to an unknown place. According to Abdulrahman Abdul, the vessel’s captain is not yet known. It is still docked at the landing site.
The Kilifi District Fisheries Department and the forest service said the crew on board the vessel did not report to their offices as required by law.
“We received the reports of the vessel and when we enquired from our fisheries counterparts they said no foreign vessel had reported to their office,” said Christopher Maina, the county forest director.
Mnarani is regarded as the main entry point of drugs and illegal goods. The fishermen called on the fisheries department to be extra vigilant.
2013 The Star