The accident occurred when a boat carrying 18 passengers capsized near Ususa Landing Site in Kabwoya sub-county, Kikuube district. The boat was sailing to Sebigoro Landing Site.
Authorities in Kikuube and Hoima districts had already announced a suspension of fishing activities, in line with the nationwide lockdown announced by President Yoweri Museveni, as a measure to control person to person interactions and close possible loopholes in the management of the disease.
The two; Opio Ozelle and Singa Kowe were killed in a fire exchange with Uganda Peoples Defense Forces -UPDF soldiers on April 9, 2020, after they were found robbing Ugandan fishermen. Five others were also arrested by the UPDF while on the lake.
Robert Ngabirano, the Head of Marine police in Hoima and Kikuube districts says that some fishermen have become unruly and openly defied the presidential directives on the control of COVID-19. He says that the impounded boats will only be returned to the owners after the lockdown has been lifted.
The bodies were of 56-year-old Piwegi Abyola, 27-year-old Ajaru Owonda and one only identified as Juma all residents of Ususa landing site in Kyangwali sub-county Kikuube district.
The boat was sailing from Kyenyanja landing site in Kabwoya sub-county to Kyakapere landing site in Kyangwali sub-county. Onboard were some of the people forcefully evicted by Uganda peoples Defence forces-UPDF soldiers from Kyenyanja landing site which is said to be one of the illegal landing sites in the area.
The fishermen and their families were evicted on Thursday from Songagagi and Nana landing sites in Kigorobya and Buseraku sub counties respectively in Hoima district.
Pius Wakabi, the Bugahya county Member of parliament, says it is totally wrong for government to come up with a decision of closing the illegal landing sites during the lock down.
The deceased have only been identified as Owonda 50 and Dickon 42 both fishermen attached to Nana landing site in Tonya parish Buseruka sub county Hoima district.
In March this year, Hoima and Kikuube District Security Committees suspended fishing activities and boat operations on Lake Albert to prevent the spread of Corona virus.
The most affected areas are, Rwangara, Katanga, kacyankumo and Kanyansi and Kanara Ward. The residents say that the overflow of water is having a negative economic effect on people who depend on the lake for fishing.
Majid Ajaru, an eye witness and relative to the deceased told Uganda Radio Network on Thursday morning that no sooner had the deceased dived in the lake than the crocodile emerged from the Lake and grabbed him.
The deceased drowned in the lake on Sunday when a group of militiamen raided the lake to rob fishing gear from Ugandan fishermen at Kijangi landing site in Buseruka Sub County, Hoima district. It is alleged that the militiamen approached the group of fishermen and ordered them to surrender their fishing gear.
The duo drowned on Sunday night following a scuffle that erupted between the Ugandan fishermen on the lake with the suspected Congolese militiamen who invaded the lake robbing fishermen of their fishing gear.
Vicent Okumu a fisherman at Wanseko landing site in Buliisa district says the weed forms dense-mat cover on water surface and affects the movement of fish, blocks boat access and the catching of fish.
Bullisa district established Ebola screening centers last year to avert a possible infiltration by suspected Ebola victims from the Democratic Republic of Congo-DRC where more than 2000 succumbed to the epidemic.
There is heavy deployment of Marine Police and UPDF Marine operatives on the lake doing patrols and arresting boat transporters with excess passengers and those transporting passengers without life jackets.
All the passengers on the boat, which capsized near Kamina landing site, were on a journey that Started from Ndaiga landing site to Lukwange in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where they sell fish and buy merchandise.
