“The heart of our Nation had been broken. We had a broken society, each time, anyone expecting death. We had people killed by soldiers because of women and love affairs and were made to hold axes to justify killing as self-defense. But it has been a good two years of powerful deliberations, with no rights violations,” says Daniel Bbosa, a fisherman at Nalukandude landing site on Jaana Island.
At the peak of the fight against illegal fishing, communities benefiting from the sector were struggling! Many were in panic, and demise would be met with a blink of an eye.
Landing sites were closed while others were torched with fire, and young children were left at a point of no return.
An orgiee of the blood letting, in 2018, left a trail of despair. With drizzles at Bunyama landing site, Bujumba Sub County, while on a guised operation, a man, Richard Ouma, believed to have been a nemesis of then Kalangala FPU commander, was shot dead. Several illegal nets were placed into the hands of a dead corpse to justify death as one who was evading arrest.
“We were all made to believe so. But as an eyewitness, I saw pre medidated murder and yet, we feared the unit as a ruthless one. We couldn’t complain or report,” one fisherman at Bunyama landing site told this website.
In October 2021, at Mazinga Sub County Headquarters, Capt Serian Muhangi threatened, with curiosity to arrest Robert Lwanga without reason. The intent was a week later realized as Lwanga was arrested and taken to Kitalya prison, where he spent two months. He was accused of illegal fishing.
However, upon her appointment as the new commander of the UPDF Fisheries Protection Unit in December 2023, a new lease of life was realized on Ugandan water bodies.
From just mere operations, Lt. Col. Tukahirwa, her team started training fishermen on better fishing methods. The idea, according to a number of the fisherfolk was to out grow harsh practices, train people and later effect enforcement when island dwellers are aware of how to use better fishing habits and not the illegal ones.
“You could see the lady moving from one landing site to another, trying to ensure that our people are taught. She even arrested several elusive fish traffickers who engaged in illegal fishing methods. This way, several officers who were the beneficiaries of the illegal acts got annoyed since many of those who engaged in the illegal businesses were taken out of action,” a fisherman who asked not to be named told this website.
In her two year tenure, the first FPU female commander reached all water bodies within the country, more than once, to ensure that Ugandans are trained on how to engage in legal fishing methods.
“At the time she came in, Ugandans were grappling with fights between the Nile Perch and the Silver fishers, each party fighting to stop the activities of the other on the water resource. She, however, restored sanity by asking each side to tolerate the other and so use the legally accepted methods of fishing,” said Charles Kalemba, the LC III chairperson for Bubeke Sub County.
Recently, the Commander had suspended the use of solar lights from engaging in silver fish hunting within the area. The solar lights, according to experts, would send away all Nile Perch 9 nautical miles away from the positioning of the solar lights, making the Nile Perch business difficult.
Lt. Col Tukahirwa is praised for relinquishing command when Lake Victoria has no rights violations and harassment as no fishermen were beaten in her tenure.
“Of course, that comes with a few challenges, but fishermen are not suffering with closure of landing sites, no beating or any form of harassment. Our fights against illegal fishing must move beyond just the arrests and make sure fishermen also engage in the tedious process of understanding emerging technologies with access to resources to acquire legal fishing gears,” says David Kasomo, a fisherman at Gunga landing site.
At the time Lt. Col. Mercy Tukahirwa was reassigned in State House, several landing sites closed before 2021 were reopened to ensure people work, fishermen in each district were given up to Ugx 1 billion by the President to adopt better fishing practices.
Her efforts culminated into the institution of a new Pressure group “Abavubi Ku Museveni” which brings together a number of fishermen appreciating gains deliberated by the Fisheries Protection Unit, it’s commander and the titular leader, H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in streamlining the fishing business.
Currently 13 fish factories are engaging in fish export, up from the paltry 3 factories at the time the unit was put in place.
