Muntu promises to revamp Kungu ferry landing site to address unemployment

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The Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) presidential hopeful, Maj. Gen. (rtd) Mugisha Muntu declared on Wednesday (November 12) that a modernised Kungu ferry landing site will be a cornerstone of his unemployment-fighting agenda for the Lango sub-region.

Speaking to a boisterous crowd of fishermen, traders and local leaders at a rally in Waitumba Village, Aganga Parish in Ibuje subcounty, Apac district, Muntu promised that, if elected, his administration would fast-track the upgrade of the dilapidated Kungu Port on Lake Kyoga, turning it into a vibrant transport hub that would generate “thousands of jobs for our idle youth.”

“There is a big transport potential with only 2 miles from Apac to Kiryandongo district on water,” Muntu said. “If developed, it can create jobs for all residents to benefit.”



Ismail Maitum disclosed that the area lacks tourist hotels to accommodate visitors, which limits the purchasing power for locally produced goods and services.

“This is a place where palm wine is grown. If the area was developed, we would be creating many jobs for our redundant youth who engage in criminality because of unemployment frustration,” Maitum noted.

A forgotten corridor

The Kungu ferry has long been a lifeline for communities on the lake’s eastern shore, ferrying passengers, produce and livestock between Lira, Apac and the neighbouring islands.

Yet years of neglect have left the landing site with crumbling piers, broken mooring ropes and no basic amenities, conditions that have crippled trade and kept unemployment rates in the sub-region among the nation’s highest.

“Every morning, our young people stand by the shore hoping for a day’s work on a boat, only to return empty-handed,” lamented Deus Ongom, a 34-year-old man who sells fish at the market.

“If the ferry landing is fixed, we can move our goods faster, bring tourists, and create jobs—not just in transport but in hotels, food stalls and logistics,” he insisted.

Muntu, who has been traversing Lango for days, seized on the sentiment. “The Kungu ferry landing is not just a piece of infrastructure; it is a gateway to prosperity,” he asserted.

“We will rebuild the pier, install solar-powered lighting, set up a cargo handling bay, and establish a one-stop border post to cut delays. This will open up markets in Kenya, South Sudan and beyond, and the jobs will follow,” Muntu elaborated.

Muntu’s pledge dovetails with his five-point manifesto for Lango, unveiled during a recent tour of the sub-region, focusing on agricultural transformation, health revitalisation, job creation and transparent governance.

He also promised to restructure intelligence and security agencies to curb youth animosity. The revamped Kungu landing fits squarely into the job creation pillar, promising direct employment in construction, dock operations and ancillary services.

Government’s track record under scrutiny

Muntu did not shy away from criticising the current administration and accused the ruling NRM of allowing critical infrastructure to decay, pointing to the unfulfilled promise of a new ferry for Koome Island, another Mukono district landing that has languished despite assurances from the Ministry of Works and Transport.

“The government talks about development, yet the very tools that connect our people to markets are left to rust,” he charged.

Vows to drive away UPDF from Kyoga

Muntu made a bold promise to drive away the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) from the lake and develop sites to manage the water bodies’ resources to the benefit of the citizens.

“UPDF should keep our borders, not to drive away our fishermen who can accept to operate under government fishing laws. My government shall dispel equal justice for all, and that’s why I will restructure security to bridge the widening gap that has existed between the local fishermen and the army,” he said. 

The UPDF has been deployed on Uganda's lakes, including Lake Victoria, to enforce fishing regulations and combat illegal fishing practices. However, their presence has been met with resistance from some fishermen, who claim that the soldiers are harassing them and disrupting their livelihoods.

“The army has been harassing and killing our children who are fishing on the lake, which we hope your government will address,” Dennis Ojara said.

Tourism on Uganda's landing sites is an emerging and largely untapped sector with significant potential for community-based, eco-friendly and culturally enriching experiences.

While the sector is developing, it faces challenges related to infrastructure and the need for more targeted promotion, which is still lacking in villages where there is tourist potential.

Local leaders react

Geoffrey Mbabali, a resident, hailed Muntu’s commitment, saying, “We have waited for years. If Muntu can deliver even half of what he promises, it will change lives. Our youth are ready to work; they just need the platform.”

Area chairperson Moses Ssendyose warned against “political gimmicks,” urging residents to focus on existing government programmes such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and the Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE), which he said already provide cash support and micro-loans to vulnerable households.