LC5's car impounded over illegal fishing

ILLEGAL FISHING | UPDF

The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) fisheries enforcement personnel have impounded the official vehicle of the Kalangala LC5 chairperson, Willy Lugolobi, for allegedly using it to aid illegal fishing.

The vehicle, registration number UG 3169R, was intercepted by the UPDF with sacks of immature fish in Mazigo, Bukakata sub-county in Masaka district.

The driver, Faisal Kiwanuka, and a fish trader identified as Fahad Kabugo, were detained at Kasijagirwa fisheries base in Masaka, from where they will taken to court for prosecution.

 Kiwanuka said the fish belonged to Kabugo, whom he gave a lift as he rushed to board the Kalangala-Masaka bound ferry.

The commandant of UPDF fisheries enforcement, Col James Nuwagaba, said they had earlier received reports that the district chairperson's vehicle was being used in ferrying immature fish from Kalangala to Kampala.

Efforts to reach Lugolobi were futile.

But sources close to him said he handed over the said vehicle to the Kalangala chief administrative officer when he started his campaigns ahead of the 2021 elections.

Lugolobi sailed through unopposed after his opponent, the former district fisheries officer, Robert Mbaleba, pulled out of the race.

Over 100 illegal boats and fishing gear were impounded by the UPDF fisheries enforcement troops in Masaka last month.

In Kalangala islands, the troops have so far impounded 44,240 mono filament aka manyala, 2,879,923 illegal fish hooks and 7,988 illegal boats.

They have also impounded 77,089 gill nets below five inches, 349 cast nets aka ponyoka and 1,501 beach seins.

The Kalangala marine force commandant, Capt Aron Abaho, said inadequate manpower has affected their capacity to eliminate illegal fishing in the 84 islands of Kalangala.

In July 23 last year, President Yoweri Museveni, who was on a two-day tour in Masaka region, said the politicians who are meddling in the illegal fishing operations risk facing arrest.

He was responding to reports that some politicians were frustrating the UPDF operations against illegal fishing by inciting the fishing communities against the enforcement ahead of the 2021 elections.