Kenyan fishmongers stage protest over impounded trucks

Busia, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Business grounded to a halt at Busia border on Friday when fishmongers from Busia county in Kenya rose up in arms protesting the impounding of their fish at Mpondwe border in Kasese with the Democratic Republic of Congo-DRC.

The fishmongers accused the Ugandan Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) and Uganda People’s Defence Forces-UPDF, of impounding five trucks of dry fish valued at Shillings 60million destined for DRC on Monday.

The traders who carried placards and blew whistles blocked Ugandan registered trucks from crossing into Kenya, paralyzing traffic for more than six hours demanding that the Ugandan government releases their fish.

They claimed that no Ugandan authorities had come up to give them clear information as to why their fish was impounded. Godfrey Ongwabe, the national chairperson of cross border trade told URN that when he followed up on the impounded fish with the Ministry of Agriculture, he was told that it was immature and lacks a clear place of origin.

He however said that he had written to the ministry asking them to release the fish, saying there is no reason to impound goods in transit from another country.

Milikisa Achieng, a fishmonger at Busia county fish market in Kenya said that they want the Ugandan government to explain why their consignment was impounded and when it will be released since it was cleared at the Uganda-Kenya border.

Linete Asinah, another fishmonger says that the decision of the Ugandan government to impound their fish is contrary to the cross border trade policy that prohibits a government from impounding goods in transit.

James Walusimbi, a Ugandan trucker from Masaka district destined for Nairobi city is one of those who were caught up in the protest. He explained that the protesters blocked them from crossing into Kenya, which affected their journey.

Vincent Wafula Omanya, a clearing agent at the Busia one-stop border post said the protest paralyzed their business since nothing was moving.

Connie Acayo, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries told URN that they impounded the five trucks after the drivers fled after arriving at a checkpoint at Mpondwe border post.

The trucks are currently parked in the parking yard pending the appearance of their owners. She says that they will not open the trucks until the owners show up.

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