Fishermen applaud army for ridding Lake Albert of DRC militiamen

Hoima, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Ugandan fishermen on Lake Albert have applauded the Fisheries Protection Unit-FPU personnel conducting operations on the lake for helping to stop the invasion of suspected DRC militiamen from invading them while on the lake.

The FPU has been conducting operations against illegal fishing gear on Lake Albert since August.

However, according to some fishermen, the daily operations on the lake by the FPU operatives have helped to control attacks and robberies by suspected DRC militiamen on the lake.

Attacks by the suspected DRC militiamen on Ugandan fishermen have been rampant since 2018.

The situation made Ugandan fishermen at various landing sites in Kikuube, Hoima, Buliisa, and Kagadi, lose fishing gear including fishing boats, engines, hooks, fishing nets and batteries among others at the hands of the suspected armed Congolese.

Now, Simon Baleke, a fisherman at Bugoma landing site in Kyangwali sub county, Kikuube district says ever since the FPU commenced their operations on the lake, attacks by suspected Congolese militiamen on Ugandan fishermen have stopped.

He wants the operation to continue to save them from being attacked by the suspected Congolese armed men.

Julius Bikobo, a fisherman at Bugoigo landing site in Buliisa says though at first they looked at the FPU operatives as their enemies, they later realized that the operatives are doing a great work in not only preventing illegal fishing practices but providing enough security on the lake.

Raphael Babyenda, a fisherman at Runga landing site in Hoima says had it not been the deployment of the Fisheries Protection Unit-FPU on the lake, armed suspected Congolese soldiers would still be terrorizing Ugandan fishermen on the lake.

Ali Tinkamanyire, the Buseruka sub county chairman in Hoima says the deployment of the FPU has greatly helped to beef security on the lake Albert waters.

Julius Hakiza, the Albertine region police spokesperson explains that in the last three months when the FPU operatives have been deployed on the lake, they have not received any report of attacks by suspected DRC militiamen unlike in the past where a week would not end without the Congolese raiding fishermen on the lake.

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