Fishermen up in arms against AFALU for destroying licensed boats

Mukono, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Fishermen at Mpunge sub county in Mukono district are up in arms against members of the Association of Fishers and Lake Users of Uganda-AFALU moving around their communities destroying their licensed boats.

Although Uganda People’s Défense Forces-UPDF has been discouraging the operations of AFALU without its supervision, residents accuse the group led by ‘Ssalongo’ Lubaga Ndowoozayo of donning army jackets and moving around destroying their boats.

So far, 30 boats at Busoke and Kaaka landing sites have been destroyed. The affected boats have government number plates. One of the boat owners, Fred Kiwanuka says that while catching fish a fortnight ago, the group destroyed his two boats.

Charles Kuteesa, another boat owner at Busoke accuses the members of AFALU of destroying their boats without any explanation. He says that they need over Shillings 400,000 to repair each of the vandalized boats.

Ndowoozayo, the accused squad leader says that they have reportedly warned the fishermen against docking boats at illegal landing sites in vain. He says that they advised the fishermen to strictly dock at Mbaale landing site.

URN has established that if the fishermen from Busoke and Kaaka are to start docking at the proposed landing site, they will require another boat to cross back to their homes or rotate about 8km to return to their homes.

Ndowoozayo denies wearing military uniforms, saying the allegations are only intended to discourage them from carrying out with their supervisory role like they have always done with the Fisheries Protection Unit.

Efforts to take to the supervisors of AFALU at Katosi to find out who authorizes the operations have failed since the commandant was not at the camp.

Muzaham Kiyaga Mukalazi, the Assistant Fisheries Officer of Katosi Town Council has condemned the operations, which involve vandalizing licensed vessels.

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URN