Ugandan fishermen at the Kaiso landing site in Hoima district are struggling to recover 14 boat engines robbed by suspected Congolese militiamen on the Lake Albert waters.
The engines were robbed on May 20, 2021 when the suspected Congolese militiamen raided the Lake Albert waters near Kaiso landing site in Mbegu parish Buseruka Sub County in Hoima district.
During the attack, the militiamen also robbed three fishing boats, 10 sets of fishing nets and 10 mobile phones belonging to the fishermen.
However, three fishing boats were handed back by the militiamen after the owners paid ransom but since then, attempts by Ugandan fishermen to recover the engines have proved futile.
Robert Mujuni, the Chairperson Kaiso landing site fishing community, told Endigyito radio that the affected fishermen do not have money to pay the militiamen in order to recover the engines.
He says the militiamen are demanding US Dollars 500 (Ushs1,850,000) to release each engine.
Robert Ofoi, one of the affected fishermen wonders why the government has left them to suffer in the hands of the suspected Congolese militiamen who have continued to cause untold suffering to them.
Julius Hakiza, the Albertine region police spokesperson says currently security is profiling all the attacks that have taken place on the lake and will later come out with appropriate measures to completely eliminate the attacks on Ugandan fishermen while on the lake.
