Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya has warned that fish caught from Lake Nakuru is unfit for human consumption.
Speaking in Embu County on Wednesday after holding talks with Governor Cecile Mbarire, CS Mvurya highlighted that recent tests conducted on fish sourced from Lake Nakuru had indicated high levels of arsenic, a chemical compound found in many minerals.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), prolonged exposure to arsenic through the consumption of water and food can lead to the development of cancer and skin lesions.
Additionally, arsenic has been linked to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Symptoms of immediate arsenic poisoning include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
“In the last Cabinet that we sat in Sagana, I made a presentation to confirm that the fish in Lake Nakuru is not fit for human consumption. We have fish that have demonstrated some 32 percent level of arsenic metal which is not good for human consumption,” said the Mining CS.
“So it is true that we confirmed it is not suitable for human consumption and therefore we have formed a multi-agency team. The departments of fisheries and blue economy, the environment and others are looking into this matter.”
Mvurya subsequently revealed that the aforesaid discussions with Governor Mbarire had yielded initiatives aimed at spurring mining activities in Embu County, further asserting that once implemented, mining will bring collective benefits to the county, its residents, and the national government at large.
“We have already agreed with the county government and the national government officials based here that going forward, we will work together especially on the matter of illegal mining which is rampant in the country,” he said.
“We have also discussed the whole area of licensing because we opened the moratorium last October and now we are receiving applications for mineral investors. We also looked at the issue of benefits to county and national governments and the local community.”