Last year, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries lifted the ban on Lake Kyoga but directed that only boats with an interior overall length of 28-feet, recommended fishnets and registered fishermen are allowed on the Lake. Although the ministry maintained the deployment of unit personnel to enforce the guidelines, the same are now accused of abetting illegal fishing.
John Bamuturaki, a fisherman at Kabolwa landing site in Buliisa district, says closing the landing sites will negatively impact on their livelihoods, adding most of them have established permanent settlements on the landing sites and have nowhere to go.
A 2016 report by UNICEF indicates that most communities within and at the shoreline of Lake Victoria are most affected by waterborne and neglected tropical diseases.
Fred Katamba, the Katosi Town Clerk, says they intend to sink several boreholes in different areas including the landing site this financial year to enable residents access clean water.
The district has a total of 92 landing sites situated on 63 habited islands. However, Police and other security agencies find difficulty in visiting all the islands since they are underfunded and limited manpower.
Entebbe Deputy Mayor, Richard Ssekyondo, says Lubuulwas letter is out of context. He explains that Mayanzi is an extension of Kigungu, a gazetted landing site.
More than 120 people living at Lutoboka landing site in Kalangala district are currently homeless after a fire gutted 21 houses. Property worth millions of shillings including household items such as furniture, clothes, beddings, plus fishing nets and tons of dry fish has been destroyed.
The hydro master ferry connecting Obongi and Adjumani districts on River Nile has been commissioned without the completion of the landing site that led to suspension of its operations two weeks ago.
Over 75 casual laborers at Sinyanya ferry landing construction site in Obongi, Moyo district have laid down their tools over non payment of their daily allowances.
