State House project 'transforms Buikwe fishing communities'

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A State House-funded project that has been in existence for less than a year has transformed over 120 groups in Buikwe district, the Presidency has said.

The project is called the Strategic Campaign for Alternative Income-Generating Activities for Fishing Communities in Uganda (SCAIAFU).

The beneficiaries include former fishermen and their families from the sub-counties of Ngogwe, Najja, Ssi-Bukunja, Njeru, Nnyenga, as well as Kiyindi Town Council.

A statement from the President's press team said the members from these fishing communities have been mobilised and supported with high-quality start-up inputs, including broiler chicks and feed, in-calf heifers, breeding piglets, fish fingerlings and feed.

The Third Deputy Prime Minister, Rukia Nakadama, was in Buikwe for a monitoring visit last Thursday (April 17).

Rt Hon. Rukia Nakadama, the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister remarking during the visit of beneficiary Groups under the Alternative Livelihood Program for fishing communities in Buikwe district. (PPU PHOTO)

She hailed President Yoweri Museveni for his support to these diverse communities, which had been greatly affected after fish stocks began diminishing, thus impacting their incomes drastically.

“We realised that illegal fishing was detrimental to the lake, so we devised means to provide an alternative means of income generation that would help preserve the remaining fish,” said Nakadama.

Annet Kajubi SCAIAF coordinator at Ssenyi landing site (Left) accompanied by her team members remarking. (PPU PHOTO)

She inspected the various farming groups and was impressed by the alternative livelihood activities the ex-fishermen and their families were engaged in.

“This pilot project is going on well. I am pleased to see that you have embraced this alternative very well."

Nakadama, however, expressed concerns about Muslims in the community who may feel sidelined by the provision of pigs since it goes against Islamic principles to rear them.

She therefore advocated for such families to be given goats since the pigs may offend certain Muslims who are willing to transition from fishing.

“I will report to the President so he can boost the number of inputs. I am also glad that you acknowledged the receipt of PDM [Parish Development Model] funds."

Rt Hon. Rukia Nakadama, the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister (Second Left), Dr Hillary Musoke Kisanja, Senior presidential advisor on agribusiness (Left), Sylvia Nakiwolo, Private Secretary to the president in charge of Agriculture and Value Addition (Second Right) and other officials during the visit. (PPU PHOTO)

One of the coordinators, Annet Kajubi, had said publicly that the majority of the residents in Buikwe had received the funds.

Dr Hillary Musoke Kisanja, the Senior Presidential Advisor in charge of agribusiness, was present. He was accompanied by Charles Kiguli Kiwuuwa, the Principal Agriculture Officer at State House.

Thursday's field visit was a follow-up to President Museveni’s meeting held at Entebbe State House in November 2024, which was coordinated by Nakadama, the reason she spearheaded the monitoring exercise.

Rt Hon. Rukia Nakadama, the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister (in front), accompanied by State House officials, walking towards the fishponds during the visit at Muyubwe landing site in Buikwe district. (PPU PHOTO)

Rt Hon. Rukia Nakadama, the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister (dressed in Kitenge), accompanied by State House officials, district officials and residents, touring some of the fishponds belonging to Kyosimba Onanya fishing group at Muyubwe landing site in Buikwe district. (PPU PHOTO)

Musoke said Nakadama was very instrumental in ensuring this project gets launched and also commended the President and State House Comptroller Jane Barekye for the support. 

“My first assignment was how to reduce poor fishing. This was after several attempts to enforce illegal fishing activities that had created friction between the army and the fishermen,” he said.

Isaac Ssebadeke Walugembe, the Assistant Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Buikwe, represented RDC Major David Matovu.

He commended Bukunja Foundation (BUFO) for having been pivotal in connecting the fishing communities to State House in order to benefit from this critical intervention.

Rt Hon. Rukia Nakadama, the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister, accompanied by State House officials, district officials and residents, touring some of the fishponds of Kyosimba Onanya fishing group at Muyubwe landing site in Buikwe district. (PPU PHOTO)

Dan Kiyaga, BUFO’s chief executive officer, expressed gratitude to State House for the support. 

“We are here today to implement a project we wrote with Dr Kisanja. We started small, but within one year, we have managed to see many farmers multiply their original stock that they were provided with." 

He also commended the President’s team, which he said has been effective in its implementation and delivery of the promised inputs.

“We have 52 landing sites in Buikwe, and we have coordinated all the sites."

Sylvia Nakiwolo, the Assistant Private Secretary to the President on value addition, doubles as a SCAIAFU coordinator.

She commended the landing site residents for having proved to State House officials that this is indeed a viable project worth investing in.

“We believe it is now possible for you to survive off an alternative source of income,” said Nakiwolo. 

David Ssendagire, the chairperson of Zone A at Ssenyi landing site, appealed to the government to empower his fellow residents by tarmacking their road so as to boost their local economy.

“The island was once recognised all over East Africa as one of the cleanest, but due to the recent flooding, our landing site was greatly affected.”

A Piggery project belonging to Bakusekamaja Group at Muyubwe landing site one of the SCAIAF beneficiaries. (PPU PHOTO)

A Piggery project belonging to Bakusekamaja Group at Muyubwe landing site, one of the SCAIAF beneficiaries. (PPU PHOTO)

On her part, coordinator Kajubi said nine groups got 21 pigs, which have since multiplied to over 120 pigs within one year.

“As a result of this success, we were able to persuade others who created other 22 groups which are also in need of this alternative means of survival,” she said.

Fishermen are now catching mature fish from the lake at Ssenyi landing site due to continued sensitisation on good fishing methods. (PPU PHOTO)

At least 16 groups got 3,000 catfish and 2,000 tilapia fish, with testimonies from some of the beneficiaries validating these claims.

Geoffrey Isingoma, the chairman of Muyubwe Kyosimba Onanya Fishing Group of 20 members, said they are grateful for the inputs.

He said SCAIAFU has reduced poverty, and he pledged support for President Museveni in the forthcoming elections.