Fishermen Demand Heightened Security at Kasensero Landing Site

Fishermen at Kasensero landing site in Kyotera district are demanding for increased security presence in the area to address the persistent crimes.

Despite the on-going army-led operations against illegal fishing malpractices, fishermen are concerned of the increasing incidents of robbery and murders at the landing site.

Fred Kwizera, the Chairperson of Kasensero landing site says that many fishermen have helplessly continued to be attacked by their Tanzanian counterparts, who accuse them of casting their nets beyond the Ugandan border on Lake Victoria.

Kwizera asks government to put in place identical boundaries on the waters between Uganda and Tanzania to stop the recurrent fighting between fishermen from either side.

   //Cue in: “ekisinze okutusomooza…….  

Cue out; ……mwe muyita wano.’’//   

 Moses Sserunjogi, the Kasensero town council chairperson and practising fisherman has partly blamed the high crime incidents in the area to high numbers of lawless youth who were rendered redundant by the army operations against illegal fishing practices. 

He says that the unemployed youth are taking advantage of the current hostile relationship between Tanzania and Uganda fishermen, to terrorize people both on shores and on-water in their pursuit to earn a living.

Sserunjogi explains that the area is currently manned with very few security officers which makes it easy for the groups to freely commit crimes. 

   //Cue in: “eky’okutta abantu……   

  Cue out; ……namuwa ssente.”//

Sserunjogi indicates that in the last one month, they have recovered five bodies of people who were hacked and dumped in the lake.

Joseph Kaliisa, another fisherman at Kasensero prefers that security is heightened at the landing site to ensure safety of both lives and property in the area.  

 Stephen Maikula, the Officer in charge of Kasensero Police Station says their teams are trying their best to guard the community, but they are partly frustrated by some locals who collaborate with the wrong characters and decline to report them to police.

But Major David Matovu, the Kyotera Resident District Commissioner has indicated that the district Security Committee is working out modalities of establishing a strong network with fishermen which will support in eliminating in criminality.