By Leilah Bbaale
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has informed the fishing communities that the government aims to protect Uganda’s lakes for sustainable fish production. “A lake is a common property for all Ugandans, it is not like Rwakitura which is private property. Lakes, mining sites, etc. are not personal properties, even me at Rwakitura I’m a shareholder of Lake Kyoga so this business of going to the lake and deploying yourself there that you are a fisherman should be solved,”
Museveni was speaking while meeting ministers, and technical staff on enforcement against illegal fishing around the fishing communities in the country as well as other stakeholders at State House Entebbe.
Museveni explained that the government’s position on using advanced technological means such as the use of modern radars to monitor all the water bodies will go a long way in solving most of the problems faced by the fisheries on the lakes.“
The reason I had to deploy soldiers was because there was a crisis on the lakes. The army was not there before. Now to deal with this, the army is ready with the upgraded monitoring systems on lakes so that we don’t depend on human beings only,” Museveni noted.
The President also revealed that on Lake Victoria, the government will deploy another system so that it is easy to check what is taking place on the lake. He also underscored the need for digital identification of the boats on lakes for easy coordination and economic gains. Museveni asked the enforcement body to use the old techniques of the NRM such as holding meetings every two months as a way of accessing information from the people.“The population is a free mirror. Every two months, call for a meeting and ask how your soldiers are behaving, in this way the people will tell you,” Museveni said.
The President also advised that once the team has modernized the fishing industry, the indigenous people should be given priority in managing the lakes. He called upon communities to stop encroaching on swamps and noted that the government can help them to set up fishponds, as a way of restoring the wetlands.
The Acting Commissioner for Fisheries in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Joseph Bwanika, while presenting a paper to the President, highlighted that the fisheries sub-sector plays a crucial role in the country’s economy, food security and livelihoods of Ugandans. He said the sub-sector contributes 3.5 percent to National GDP and 12 percent to the agricultural GDP and provides employment to about 5.3 million Ugandans along its value chain.
The paper highlighted challenges as well as recommendations facing the sub-sector which the government as well as stakeholders will explore for the benefit of the sector.
The meeting was also attended by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Kadaga, the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Frank Tumwebaze, the Minister for Presidency, Babirye Milly Babalanda, the Minister of State for Fisheries, Hellen Adoa, among other officials.
Uganda is endowed with abundant water resources including five major water bodies including Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, Lake Edward and Lake George and more than 160 minor lakes, numerous rivers, swamps and floodplains which provide high potential for fish production.
