Africa-Press – Uganda. The leadership in Kalungu District has called on the Uganda People’s Defence Forces to investigate the circumstances under which two fishermen, Willy Zziwa, 21, and Ziyad Nsereko, 23, died earlier this month.
There are conflicting reports around their deaths. Whereas there are reports that the duo drowned as they tried to get away from soldiers attached to the Fisheries Protection Unit (PPU) on Lake Victoria who were pursuing them, some quarters claim that they were killed and their bodies dumped in the waters.
This is not the first time that political leaders have called for investigations into the conduct of the soldiers deployed on lakes Victoria and Kyoga.
Early in December last year, NRM leaders and flag bearers from Busoga region, who met President Museveni in Jinja City, pointed out that “the approach by the security organs has been crude and in some cases unlawful, negatively impacting on the image of government”.
At the time Mr Museveni promised to withdraw the soldiers, but that first, indigenous people, working through NRM structures, had to identify local people from among their rank to take over the management and protection of lakes.
Information about how far that has gone remains scanty, but it is our considered view that the argument should not be about whether to or not to withdraw the army, which has ironically done a great job in trying to eradicate illegal fishing.
Figures from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries indicate that fish stocks have increased by 40 per cent since the army was deployed to the lakes in 2017.
It should be about a re-evaluation of the methods and approach that the soldiers have been employing in the fight against illegal fishing.
The methods have, to say the least, been diabolical. Besides the killings, there have been reports of torture and loss of homes.
In January, a section of fishermen in Masaka told the minister of Agriculture, Mr Vincent Bamulazenki Ssempijja, that soldiers had followed them up to their homes and broken down their houses, leaving their wives and families without shelter over their heads! Since when has the destruction of houses been a prescribed punishment for those suspected to be involved in illegal fishing?
Such conduct is in conflict with the high levels of discipline and sense of justice with which officers and men of the UPDF were always associated. We need that level of discipline and justice in the fight against illegal fishing. We need it back in all matters of State.
