OVER 200 FAMILIES LEFT HOME LESS AFTER THEIR EVICTION ON LAKE ALBERT SHORES

By our reporter

www.mknewslink.com

In Kikuube

More than 200 families in Kikuube district are sleeping out in the cold following their eviction from Lake Albert shores.

The families are affected by the second phase of the closure of illegal landing sites by Uganda People’s Defense Forces-UPDF, which kicked off on Monday.

The families were evicted from Senjojo and Songarao landing sites in Kyangwali and Kabwoya sub counties respectively.

The affected residents have since pitched camp under trees at Buhuka primary school in Bugoma Cell Buhuka Parish Kyangwali Sub County without any help.

Sam Odiko, a resident of Senjonjo landing site says the situation is unbearable and demands the government to stop operations or else get them another area to settle at because they have settled on the landing sites for years and established permanent homes.

Syliva Kugonza, another resident of Senjonjo landing site, says they need help from the government because they have lost almost everything they had at home.

According to officials, the affected residents were given sufficient time to relocate to gazetted landing sites but in vain.

In May, Inter Agency Task force led by Maj. Gen. Leopold Kyanda announced plans to close more than 200 illegal landing sites spread in Hoima, Buliisa and Kikuube district for allegedly facilitating the illegal movement of people to and from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A total of 61 landing sites were closed in a joint operation involving UPDF and Uganda Police Force in the first phase that kicked off on May 14, 2020.

Lake Albert employs approximately 56,000 fishermen who harvest more than 100,000 tons of fish per year.

Overall, fishing supports the livelihood of more than 1.6 million people in Uganda.

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