BULIISA FISHERMEN RESORT TO FARMING AS POVERTY BITES HARDER

By Innocent Atuganyira

www.mknewslink.com

In Buliisa

Buliisa district which is located along the shores of Lake Albert in Bunyoro sub region Western Uganda was in March 2020 hit by the rising water levels of the Lake.

Fishermen who depend on fishing have been forced to resort to farming for survival.

In the same year, over 10,000 families in the district were displaced by floods, most of whom depended on fishing as the main economic activity.

The most affected sub counties are; Butiaba, Kigwera ,Butiaba town council ,Wanseko, Katanga, Masaka, Kawaibanda, Boma, Walukuba among other landing sites.

The floods which claimed over 10 kilometers from the lake also affected some government institutions including Butiaba health centre, Butiaba primary school in Butiaba town council.

Traversing through the sandy feeder paths of Walukuba village, Butiaba Sub County, our reporter came across Mr. Ijok Pithwa 49, a fisherman turned farmer resting on the veranda of his grass thatched house.

Pithwa who looked so exhausted explained how he is passing through valleys and thorns to feed his family.

‘’We were used to  getting daily income from fishing, since floods displaced us, and also the  ban on  fishing on the lake by the government  has greatly affected us, we usually  have one meal a day and sometimes none ,’’Ms. Akello Aikani asserted.

The mother of five children also contended that due to the prolonged dry season, she resorted to selling firewood to get bread for her family.

“We were given only one day {Saturday} in a week to collect  firewood from  the Murchison Falls National Park, which isn’t favoring us, when they get you in the park on the other days, they arrest and take you to courts of law,’’ Akello explained.

Richard Onen, the area chairperson Kisinja village Walukuba parish in Butiaba Sub County says his people are suffering after quitting fishing and he appealed for government intervention.

Hon. Allan Atugonza, the Member of Parliament for Buliisa constituency told our reporter that the government is coming up with a number of interventions aimed at helping the flood victims in the area.

The Member of Parliament who last year donated relief items to flood victims added that they have been lobbying from the office of prime minister to ensure the flood victims are helped.

He also told this website that since fishermen are copying up with cultivation, they will lobby for high yielding seeds to improve their production.

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