Senior Research Scientist Freshwater Fisheries Research Aquatic Animal Health Fish Diseases • Biosecurity • Sustainable Aquaculture Location Kisumu Years of Experience 2017-present (9 years at KMFRI) Research Interests Aquatic Animal Health; Fish Diseases; Fish Parasites; Aquatic Biosecurity; Molecular Diagnostics; Cage Aquaculture; Sustainable Aquaculture | Research Focus: Advancing aquatic animal health systems and promoting resilient, climate-smart aquaculture that supports sustainable fisheries, food security, and improved livelihoods in Kenya and the wider Lake Victoria Basin. Venny Mziri Mwainge is a Senior Research Scientist at the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) with over fifteen years of professional experience in fisheries, aquaculture, and aquatic animal health research. She holds a Master of Science in Aquaculture with Distinction from Ghent University, Belgium, and a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences from Moi University, Kenya. Her research focuses on aquatic animal health, fish diseases, parasite ecology, aquatic biosecurity, aquatic epidemiology, and sustainable aquaculture. She has extensive experience in designing and implementing multidisciplinary research that integrates field investigations, laboratory diagnostics, water quality monitoring, and data analysis to support evidence-based fisheries and aquaculture management. Venny has contributed to national and regional initiatives on aquatic animal disease surveillance, Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV), antimicrobial resistance, biosecurity, carrying capacity assessment, and ecosystem health in Lake Victoria and other aquatic ecosystems in Kenya. She has collaborated with various organizations and regional fisheries institutions to strengthen aquatic animal health management and sustainable aquaculture development. She previously served as Centre Director of the KMFRI Kisumu Centre for three years, providing leadership in institutional management, stakeholder engagement, and strategic partnerships. She has authored and co-authored in peer-reviewed journals. Her professional development includes a six-month Fisheries Training Programme under the GRO Fisheries Training Programme (GRO-FTP) at Hólar University, Iceland, and a DANIDA-funded leadership programme on Women in Management programme in Arusha, Tanzania. These experiences have strengthened her technical expertise, leadership, and management skills. Her current research aims to advance aquatic animal health systems and promote resilient, climate-smart aquaculture that supports sustainable fisheries, food security, and improved livelihoods in Kenya and the wider Lake Victoria Basin. Research & Administrative Responsibility
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Awards and Honours MSc with Distinction – Ghent University, Belgium GRO-FTP Fellowship – Hólar University, Iceland DAAD Scholarship – Recipient DANIDA Funded Women in Management – Leadership Course, Arusha, Tanzania Selected Publications Teplitz, E., Mwainge, V., Wacira, T., Patel, E., Getchell, R., Ogwai, C., Mayianda, M, Ochieng, L., Aura, C and Fiorella, K. (2025). Disease and Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance for Nile Tilapia Pathogens in Lake Victoria, Kenya. Journal of Fish Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfd.70022 Mwainge, V., Vang, A., Ogwai, C., Obuya, J., and Benhaïm, D. (2024). An Assessment of the Knowledge Attitude and Practices (KAP) on Biosecurity and Best Management Practices in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Cage Aquaculture in Lake Victoria, Kenya. Nyamweya, C. S., Natugonza, V., Kashindye, B. B., Mangeni-Sande, R., Kagoya, E., Mpomwenda, V., Mziri, V., Elison, M., Mlaponi, E., Ongore, C., Makori, A., Shaban, S. S., Aura, C. M., Kayanda, R., Taabu-Munyaho, A., Njiru, J., Ogari, Z., Proud, R., Brierley, A. S. (2023). Response of fish stocks in Lake Victoria to enforcement of the ban on illegal fishing: are there lessons for management? Journal of Great Lakes Research. Hamilton, S. E., McGehee, D. D., Nyamweya, C., Ongore, C., Makori, A., Mangeni-Sande, R., Kagoya, E., Kashindye, B. B., Elison, M., Shaban, S. S., Mlaponi, E., Mwainge, V. M., Ocaya, H., Krach, N., Ogari, Z., Mugeni, B., Taabu-Munyaho, A., Kayanda, R., Muhumuza, E., & Natugonza, V. (2022). High-resolution bathymetries and shorelines for the Great Lakes of the White Nile basin. Scientific Data, 9(1), 642. Mwainge, V., Ogwai, C., Aura, CM., Mutie, A., Ombwa, V., Nyaboke, H., Nyaundi, J. (2021). An Overview of fish disease and parasite occurrence in the cage culture of Oreochromis niloticus; a case study of Lake Victoria, Kenya. Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management, 24:43-55. Proud, R., Mangeni-Sande, R., Kayanda, R. J., Cox, M. J., Nyamweya, C., Ongore, C., Natugonza, V., Everson, I., Elison, M., Hobbs, L., Kashindye, B. B., Mlaponi, E. W., Taabu-Munyaho, A., Mwainge, V. M., Kagoya, E., Pegado, A., Nduwayesu, E., & Brierley, A. S. (2020). Automated classification of schools of the silver cyprinid Rastrineobola argentea in Lake Victoria acoustic survey data using random forests. ICES Journal of Marine Science. Opiyo, M., Mziri, V., Musa, S., Kyule, D., Hinzano, S., Wainaina, M., Magondu, E., Werimo K. & Ombwa, V. (2021). Fish disease management and biosecurity systems in Kenya. In: Munguti et al., eds State of Aquaculture in Kenya 2021. Towards nutrition sensitive fish food production systems. Chapter 7 pp. 113-126. Kyule-Muendo, D., Awuor J., Githukia, C., Kendi, J., Mziri, V., Obiero, K. and Orina, P. (2021). Post-harvest management, value addition and fish marketing. In Munguti et al., eds State of Aquaculture in Kenya 2021. Towards nutrition sensitive fish food production systems. Chapter 6 pp. 103-112. Links |
