By KT Reporter
The fishing communities at Kasensero landing sites are embroiled in a sharp disagreement with the Kyotera District Security Committee, which blocked plans for the deployment of private security guards on Lake Victoria waters.
Over time, fishermen at Kasensero landing site have been grappling with cross-border robberies committed on Lake Victoria waters, which is shared between Uganda and the Republic of Tanzania.
According to fishermen, the robberies have also resulted in serious cases of insecurity, which manifests in the form of physical clashes with their Tanzanian counterparts and has often resulted in deaths.
Deus Nsamba, the Kasensero Town council Chairperson, who also owns several fishing boats in the area, says the security threats have prompted them to consider hiring private security guards to protect their lives and fishing gear while on the lake.
He bemoans that many local fishermen have helplessly continued to suffer attacks by their Tanzanian counterparts, who usually target them for boat engines, fuel, nets, and fish catches.
Nsamba argues that for a long time, they have cried to the local security personnel, who include the Fisheries Protection Unit and the Marine Police, who have failed to provide a solution to the problem.
He is now disappointed that the District Security Committee is blocking them from tapping into the services of the private security guards, whom the fishermen had hired to protect them.
Peter Kiwanuka, the Secretary for Kasensero Fishermen’s Association, is also concerned that, despite the failure to secure the area, the District Security Committee has blocked the local community from using their improvised means of security.
He argues that the current situation is a serious frustration to their business survival, wondering why the security committee cannot allow them to improvise means to secure their lives.
Moses Jjemba, one of the fishermen who sustained body injuries in clashes with the lake robbers, has appealed to the Ministry of East African Affairs to intervene in the situation and negotiate sanity among member states.
He warns that the situation may worsen if the local fishermen violently reiterate, as a result of leaders’ failure to initiate bilateral engagements to harmonise positions on how to secure the lake.
But Apollo Mugume, the Kyotera Resident District Commissioner, has cautioned the fishermen against insisting on deploying private security guards, warning they risk breaching diplomatic protocols, which may have far-reaching consequences for them.
He, however, observes that the security committee is fully aware of the existing challenges and that his office has already notified the relevant ministries that have also promised to provide a lasting solution.
-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
