By URN
The fishing community on Lake Edward in Kasese District wants Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to put up clear boundaries.
The call for clear demarcation stems from outcries by both DRC and Uganda fishermen who accuse officials on both sides of repeated arrests and confiscations of their fishing gear.
On Tuesday, security heads of Uganda and DRC held a meeting with fishermen from both countries to discuss solutions to end conflicts on water. The meeting was held at Kayanja landing site in Nyakiyumbu sub-county, Kasese district.
Javino Aduba one of the fishermen says the unclear boundary marks in the lake have caused tension and unrest among the fishermen that sometimes result in their detention in Uganda.
Mosengo Kataliko Kathembo, the Chairperson for Kyavinyonge Beech Management Unit in the DRC highlighted that they are facing a lot of harassment from Uganda forces noting that today 63 boat engines are still impounded by the Ugandan authorities.
He appealed to the Ugandan government to release the engines and establish good communication with DRC counterparts.
David Kayongo a fisher at Kayanja landing site, agrees that clear demarcation of the boundary in the lake is the surest way of resolving encroachment and ending conflicts between fishermen from both countries.
But Corporal. Ali Babiha working with the Fisheries Protection Unit-FPU noted that many Congolese fishermen are aware of where they are supposed to stop their activities but deliberately cross into the Uganda waters.
He asked the fishermen leaders to guide their groups as one measure to eliminate conflicts.
Charles Agaba who represented the Kasese District Fisheries Office, argued that most of the Congolese fishermen who are often arrested are found fishing in breeding zones.
Kasese Deputy RDC in-charge of Bukonzo County, Lt. (Rtd) Maate Magwara who chaired the meeting noted that the two governments were discussing the erection of boundary marks to address the reported challenges.
Congolese fishermen and leaders have been at loggerheads with Uganda security authorities over the use of proper fishing methods on the lakes.
In 2021, Noe Mbusa Kavasya, a fisherman who is a member of the Kyavinyonge Individual Fishermen’s Association at Lake Edward accused Uganda security authorities of crossing to Congo and arresting 12 fishermen at Kyiavinyonge landing site in Beni territory, North Kivu Province, a claim Ugandan security denied.
