Three Kenyan fishermen who were arrested in Madagascar in July have been released and safely repatriated. This comes amid growing calls for the government to keep better track of Kenyan fishermen and lead a registration drive to enable them to fish legally in international waters.
Awadh Mbarak, 26, Mohammed Bakari, 50, and Karisa Nguma, 32, were freed after intervention from the Ministry of Blue Economy, the Kenya Maritime Agency, and various human rights organizations. The three had been detained on July 9 for fishing in foreign waters.
The fishermen arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Thursday morning, where they were joyfully reunited with their family and friends. Their families expressed relief, describing the four months their loved ones spent in a Madagascar prison for illegal fishing as extremely difficult.
“It’s like a dream come true to be reunited with my family. I missed them so much and often felt homesick,” Bakari shared emotionally.
Family members of the fishermen urged the government to provide proper counseling and fully compensate them for the trauma they endured, explaining that during much of their imprisonment, they lacked adequate food.
Officials from the Ministry of Blue Economy, including the directors general of the Kenya Fisheries Services and the Kenya Maritime Authority, were present at the airport to receive the fishermen. The government emphasized that they had been diligently following up on the case since the arrest was made public.
“We even sent our legal teams to Madagascar to assist in bringing our fishermen back home,” stated Julius Koech, the acting director general of the Kenya Maritime Authority.
The fishermen described their ordeal as a harrowing experience, one they would not wish upon anyone. They recounted the hardship of regularly going hungry and living in dire conditions, but remained hopeful throughout, trusting in the support of Kenyan authorities.
Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho played a key role in securing the release of the three Kenyan fishermen, as part of a coordinated multi-ministry effort to bring them home.
“We are thankful to CS Joho and request that he assists our sons in receiving any rightful compensation from the government,” said Mbaraka Hassan, father of Awadh, one of the released fishermen.
The fishermen have urged the government to provide them with licenses, stating that the lack of proper documentation led to their arrest. “If you have a license, you can fish even in international waters,” Awadh explained.
Nguma added, “When you’re a fisherman in the waters without a license, you have no voice.”
Mbaraka Hassan also called on the government to ensure the fishermen receive proper counseling after their ordeal.
The government, meanwhile, is urging those with vessels operating within or beyond Kenyan waters to register both their vessels and crew to avoid situations that could put Kenyan lives at risk.
