Fishermen from Lwabaswa landing site on Bubembe Island in Bujumba sub-county, Kalangala District want district leaders to dissolve the Beach Management Unit (BMU) over allegations of torturing innocent colleagues.

This was revealed in a meeting chaired by the Kalangala deputy Resident District Commissioner, Sarah Nanyanzi, together with Kalangala Fish Protection Unit (FPU) Commander Capt. Eric Serian Muhangi, James Nandu Mugoya of Community Policing at Kalangala Central Police Station and fishermen.

Florence Nansubuga, a silverfish fisherwoman, said some committee members are engaged in illegal fishing yet others misuse their positions and impound mature fish, sell them off and intimidate to report innocent fishermen to FPU.

"The committee lost truck, instead of enforcing the laws, they just bent them for their interest. Fishermen can no longer open up on who is engaged in illegal actions because they are members of the committee," said Nansubuga. 

Fishermen allege that they did not elect members on the committee but rather, the FPU commander by then Captain Fredric Mwondha, selected them.

Herbert Ntambaazi, the BMU Chairperson, stopped the committee from engaging in illegal fishing and transportation of immature fish using their positions as leaders.

Capt. Muhangi said that investigations had commenced into fishermen's concerns on the BMU committee and effectively early October, action will be taken on that issue.

"We cannot dissolve this committee without investigations. I found it managing the landing site and so, any speculation from fishermen will be addressed in harmony," said Capt. Muhangi.

Nanyanzi urged fishermen to always focus on their work, use legal methods in fishing as well as abide by the laws in place rather than engaging in unnecessary fights with their immediate leaders.