Da Dona
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- Dec 16, 2025
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Members of the Wakiso District Fisheries Management Committee in Entebbe Municipality and Katabi Town Council have threatened to resign, citing alleged attacks and interference by some Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) marine officers during efforts to combat illegal fishing on Lake Victoria.
During a meeting at Bugonga landing site on Saturday, committee members accused some soldiers of protecting illegal fishers and frustrating night patrols.
Fred Mulema, the Kavenyanja landing site defence secretary, alleged that marine officers sometimes selectively arrested illegal fishers while leaving others using prohibited nets.
Paul Kigozi, a Kigungu landing-site committee member, also alleged that he was assaulted by Capt. Edward Byamukama, the commander of Nfo Island marine base, during a patrol.
Wakiso District Fisheries Management Committee chairperson Edrisah Matovu urged members not to quit, saying the complaints involved individual soldiers and could be addressed through dialogue.
He called for a meeting between the fisheries committees and 155 Marine leaders to resolve the disputes.
The 155 Marine Sector Commander for Wakiso, Capt. Muzamiru Gimogoyi, denied army involvement in illegal fishing and urged committee members to report any soldiers suspected of engaging in the practice.
The current enforcement arrangement follows a December 2025 directive that dissolved the former Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU) landing-site committees and introduced new committees. The FPU was subsequently renamed the 155 Marines Battalion and placed under the UPDF Marines Brigade.
Daily Monitor
