L.Albert security meeting plots end of DRC militia raids on shore communities
Mugasa asked the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) to toughen against the insurgents who have turned it a habit to attack and seize fishing communities and their fishing gears, including boats, nets, engines, and demand ransom.
Kikuube district cluster head Brig. Gen. Tingira Irumba Ateenyi (L) and Hoima city cluster head Brig. Gen. Ronald Bigirwa Abwooli (R) with other officers attending the security meeting. (Photos by Peter Abaanabasazi)
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Public service state minister Mary Mugasa has called for a permanent solution to the problems surrounding fishing communities on the shores of Lake Albert as a shared natural resource.
Mugasa expressed concern over persistent challenges being faced by fishing communities, ranging from constant attacks from Congolese militias, extortion, lack of alternative sources of income, illegal fishing and exploitation by political actors with selfish interests.
She made the call shortly after chairing a closed-door security meeting that attracted the National Security Mobilisation Task Force, senior soldiers, regional and district Police commanders, Resident District Commissioners, district chairpersons, district fisheries officers and Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU) officers for the districts bordering Lake Albert, including Kagadi, Hoima, Buliisa and Kikkube.
The November 18, 2025, meeting at Hoima Youth Centre in Kasingo village, Hoima city, was attended by National Security Mobilisation Task Force deputy head for Bunyoro cluster Maj. Gen. Leopold Kyanda, commander army marine unit Brig. Gen. Micheal Nyarwa, Kikuube cluster head Brig. Gen. Tingira Irumba Ateenyi, Hoima city cluster head Brig. Gen. Ronald Bigirwa and Hoima district cluster head Brian Geoffrey Kambere, Hoima district NRM chairperson Vicente Muhumuza Savanna and Kagadi chairperson Ndibwami B. Yosia.
Mugasa asked the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) to toughen against the insurgents who have turned it a habit to attack and seize fishing communities and their fishing gears, including boats, nets, engines, and demand ransom.
She said such militias should not be allowed to terrorise Ugandan communities along Lake Albert. She has also called for a total ban on the importation of illegal fishing gear.
She has also urged FPU to work closely with local fishing communities in their operations against illegal fishing.
Mugasa revealed that the NRM government, under the leadership of President Yoweri Museveni, is committed to streamlining fishing activities in the country by ensuring that all stakeholders benefit more, especially the local indigenous fishing communities.
Resolution of the meeting
Mugasa told the media that the meeting agreed to deploy more marine forces to address the challenge of inadequate security personnel, to increase patrols on the waters of Lake Albert to address the attacks by Congolese militias and also resolved to move as a team and have a meeting with the fishing community.
They also resolved to fast-track the disbursement of a startup fund of over shillings one billion, which President Museveni promised to the fishing community.
Muhumuza said several fishing communities have lost their livelihood as a result of attacks by Congolese militia men. He noted that armed groups from DRC always attack fishermen on the waters of Lake Albert, and they cause havoc without help.
“Whenever they attack the waters, they beat up our people, even killing those who resist, they rob their fishing gears and the fishermen to reclaim their gear are made to shell out shillings three million, our people need to be helped”.
Kyanda echoed the need to find a lasting solution to the problems on Lake Albert. He says leaders should listen to what local people are saying regarding mutual benefit from the Lake as a resource.
However, he promised that as security, they are going to work with the leadership of the fishing community to see that they restore sanity on Lake Albert to ensure peace and security that will allow the fishing community to work for their transformation.