David Ongom Mudong, the East Kyoga Region Police Spokesman, says the contractor has been charged with sabotaging government program vide SD Reference 35/07/08/2020 of CPS Serere. He says police are conducting inquiries into the matter.
63-year-old Paul Opio cut down his orchard in Opucet Village, which has been earning him at least Shillings 10 million annually after realizing huge losses. Opio started planting oranges in 2009 and has since diversified to other crops like water melons, tomatoes and bananas among others.
Penninah Atweo, a resident of Agologolo Village in Bugondo Sub County says the condition of the road has affected their livelihoods as costs of transport have more than doubled. Atweo, who sells vegetables says that she spends 16,000 shillings on the transport alone instead of 4,000 she used to pay before the roads were submerged.
Bernard Ariangu, the Chairperson of Fisheries Protection Unit- FPU at Kagwara landing site, says the least each boat gets per day is 30 kilograms of Nile Perch.
Sam Opolot, an elder in Kagwara Landing Site wants all the fishermen engaged in illegal fishing prosecuted. He observes that it has persisted because there is no punitive action for the culprits.
The suspension of Fishing activities rendered thousands of households vulnerable because many of them solely depended on the lake for their livelihood. Many people, who had never been to their homes for long, had to relocate from landing sites that had become part of their lives.
State Minister for Fisheries, Helen Adoa, while flagging off the boats, said that Lake Kyoga was cleared for 11,000 boats but there was delay in the construction works.
More than 30 fishponds built by government through Operation Wealth Creation, Youth Livelihood and other programs have been submerged in Kadungulu, Bugondo, Labor, Pingire and Kateta Sub Counties.
Simon Okwi, the Parish Councilor of Kagwara says the situation of the fishing community has been worsened by the COVID-19 lock down. He notes that some families have split, leaving children to fend for themselves.
John Peter Aseun, the Chairperson of the Fish Protection Unit in Ajuba, says much as they have mobilised people to register r as boat owners, fishmongers and fishermen, a good number is unable to meet the demands of the new fishing regulations due to financial constraints and lack of National Identity Cards.
Serere District local government declined to receive the facility from the then Fisheries State Minister, Ruth Nankabirwa citing shoddy works. They also argued that the facility was not complete by the time of the handover in 2013.
The facility located in Kadungulu Sub County was constructed between 2009 and 2013 at 2.7 billion shillings. However, it has not been in use after the district declined to receive it from the contractor citing shoddy works. `
“When soldiers came here, my husband ran away and has never returned. He was scared because we were told that those men are ruthless. I sold part of my cassava to buy wheat flour and other ingredients for making mandazi. That is how I’m trying to help these children but a majority of people don’t have money to enable this business thrive”, she said.
The operations started on Sunday, forcing several residents to flee their villages due to fear of being arrested. Some residents have not yet returned to their homes even after the operations in their respective areas and landing sites.
