Alfred Onenchan, the second in Command at Kaiso Immigration offices in Hoima district, says they are unable to patrol all landing sites due to manpower gaps. He says as a result, some Congolese Nationals use illegal landing sites to sneak into the country.
The Ugandan border with the Democratic Republic of Congo was closed in March, as part of a lockdown occasioned by the outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Subsequently, the government heavily deployed teams comprising Uganda Peoples Defense Forces-UPDF and Uganda Police Force to guard the closed Border along the shores of Lake Albert.
Teams comprising Uganda Peoples Defense Forces-UPDF soldiers and Uganda Police Force were recently deployed to guard the closed Border along the shores of Lake Albert, in line with measures taken by the Ugandan government to control the spread of Coronavirus Disease COVID-19. The Country has so far recorded 55 cases of Coronavirus Disease.
Dr. Nelson Naisye, the Buliisa District Health Officer-DHO told Uganda Radio network on Tuesday that the boat operators have been crossing to DRC to transport Congolese nationals with relatives in Uganda.
The Congolese whose identities have since been concealed by security operatives were arrested on Thursday after they allegedly crossed into the country through Lake Albert. They were arrested on arrival at Sebigoro landing site in Kabwoya Sub County.
The Congolese were picked up by Police and the army on Sunday last week when they were found fishing on Lake Albert, a few meters from Mbegu landing site in Tonya parish Buseruka Sub County Hoima district.
