By KT Reporter
Residents of Lotisan Sub-County in Moroto district are facing a severe food crisis after being denied access to fish at Kobebe Dam. Located about 50 km from Moroto town, Kobebe water dam is one of the biggest water projects in the Karamoja sub-region. It was constructed by the Water and Environment Ministry in 2010 at a cost of Shillings 6.7 billion.
Later, the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture in conjunction with the National Agriculture Research Organization (NARO), introduced a fish project to benefit the communities. In July 2021, several fish died under unclear circumstances, although authorities suspected malicious poisoning.
However, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) had gazetted three out of four parishes in the sub-county, restricting community members from fishing in the dam, which is located in the Matheniko-Bokora game reserve. The community is puzzled as to why UWA is restricting them from fishing, especially since the fish were introduced by the government.
The restrictions have left residents facing severe food insecurity, highlighting the challenge of balancing conservation efforts with community livelihoods. John Kodet, a resident of Atedeoi village, expressed desperation, saying that they have been denied access to fish while families lack food. Kodet said they are grappling with malnutrition, and the lack of access to fish has worsened the situation.
‘’We would fish and sell to get money to support our families, but now we are stuck without food,’’ Kodet said. “Why would they deny us to catch fish from the dam? These fish were brought by the government. Why is UWA now restricting us?” Robert Adiaka, another resident, urged authorities to reconsider their decision and allow access to the fish, citing the community’s dire need for food and income. He said they have never benefited from the project and expected the government to train them in modern fishing methods instead.
Adiaka recalled a time when fish became too abundant in the dam and started dying, yet no action was taken. He said it is unfair for wildlife staff to continue fishing in the dam while the community is restricted. John Robert Adupa, the LC3 chairperson of Lotisan Sub-County, acknowledged that the community has not been allowed to fish.
Adupa alleged that UWA officials deliberately deny the community the opportunity to fish, while they continue selling fish in the market. He said that anyone attempting to fish is closely monitored, chased away, and even beaten. Adupa stressed that the project was introduced to help the neighboring community fight food insecurity, generate household income, and reduce malnutrition, but all efforts have been in vain.
He noted that multiple requests have been made to wildlife authorities to allow fishing, but no response has been received. Adupa added that allowing communities to fish at Kobebe Dam would encourage them to appreciate and protect the project, as they are the primary beneficiaries. He also noted that residents surrounding the dam are being arrested for cutting trees from the game reserve.
Efforts to reach the UWA official in charge of the Matheniko-Bokora game reserve were futile, as all known contact numbers were off. Meanwhile, the dam’s water levels are critically low, threatening the livelihoods of thousands of livestock and the surrounding communities. The dam, the only vital water source for over 50,000 heads of cattle from Moroto, Kotido, Napak, and Turkana from Kenya, is drying up due to silt accumulation and intensifying heat in the region.
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