John Magunda, a fisherman in Buwooya sub county notes that the crocodiles hide under stones during the evening hours and often attack them forcing them to abandon their boats. He says the crocodiles do not only scare them from accessing the lake, but they also destroy their fishing nets.
Fishermen in Busamuzi
and Buwooya Sub counties in Buvuma district are living in fear because of three
crocodiles roaming the shorelines of Lake Victoria in their area. The fishermen
say the crocodiles appear on the shorelines at different intervals during the
day.
John Magunda, a
fisherman in Buwooya sub county notes that the crocodiles hide under stones during
the evening hours and often attack them forcing them to abandon their boats. He says the crocodiles do not only
scare them from accessing the lake, but they also destroy their fishing nets.
“By the grace of God I survived last week while coming back
from the lake when the crocodile hit my boat. At first I thought it was strong
wind until I show the crocodile coming towards my direction. I jumped from the
boat and started swimming to the shore,” Magunda narrates.
Teddy Nansereko, the Women Secretary Nkoka LC I Village
Council and member of Village Health-VHT, says three children sustained
fractures while fleeing from the crocodiles. She explains that
their people under risk especially those involved in fishing because of diving
in the water to flee from the man-eaters.
//Cue in: “Abantu baffe bali…
Cue out: …mu mazzi”//
Charles Ayisu, the
Busamuzi Sub county LC 3 Chairperson appeals for the intervention of Uganda
Wildlife Authority-UWA to trap and capture the crocodiles, which he says have
become a threat to residents.
//Cue in: “We have got…
Cue in: …wild life authority”//
However, the UWA Public Relations
Manager, Bashir Hangi has instead advised
residents to stop building and conducting business in the buffer zone on the
lake since this is the habitat for crocodiles.
“Crocodiles come to the
shoreline to find food, which is mainly fish. Shorelines are breeding areas but
people directly bath from the lake even when we advise them to fetch water and
take home. They should stop provoking
the crocodile,” he said.