Bunyoro Leaders Task Museveni on Insecurity on Lake Albert

Leaders from the Bunyoro sub-region have tasked President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to intervene and address the persistent insecurity on Lake Albert. 

President Museveni who is in the Bunyoro sub-region to assess the implementation and progress of the Parish Development model (PDM) met all leaders from the area at Kigumba Petroleum Institute in Kiryandongo district on Thursday evening. 

The leaders in their memorandum read by Jacob Karubanga, the Chairperson of the Bunyoro parliament Caucus informed the President that since 2018, attacks by suspected DRC militia on Ugandan fishermen on the Lake Albert waters have persisted and tasked him to find a lasting solution. 

The leaders say many fishermen have lost their fishing gear including fishing boats, engines, nets and hooks while others have been shot and killed by the suspected militia. 

According to Karubanga, if the situation is not solved, it could fuel insecurity between the two countries.

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The leaders further tasked the President to finalize the process of offering free land titles to residents in Bunyoro to curb down forceful evictions of people from their ancestral land by land grabbers. 

They informed the president that land grabbing and evictions will lead to bloodshed as residents are being forcefully and ruthlessly evicted from the ancestral land they have occupied for decades.

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The leaders also demanded that Bunyoro should be given affirmative action on oil and gas employment opportunities stating that, most children in Bunyoro are being denied jobs in the sector yet they have the requisite academic documents.

They also appealed to the government to upgrade lower health facilities existing in the region to de-congest Hoima Regional Referral Hospital to enhance appropriate health service delivery to residents in the region. 

Robinah Nabbanja, the Prime Minister applauded the government for establishing key government projects in the region citing the construction of Kabalega International Airport, Hoima International Stadium, Bunyoro Public University and the critical oil roads and above all the discovery of oil and gas.

She tasked the people of Bunyoro to prepare and tap into opportunities that will accrue from these projects to enhance their household income.

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President Museveni assured the leaders that he would heighten security on Lake Albert to secure Ugandan fishermen from attacks by the suspected Congolese militiamen. 

He stated that currently, they have installed radars to monitor security surveillance on the lake noting that soon the current security loopholes existing on the lake will be fixed.

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On persistent land evictions, the president stated that it was illegal for people to be evicted from their ancestral land that they have occupied for decades stating that his office would prevail over the criminals. 

He reechoed his commitment to work with the area leaders to eliminate the vice.  

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The President also rallied Ugandans to expose individuals stealing funds under the Parish Development Model (PDM), emphasizing that the money is meant to uplift the poor and integrate them into the money economy. 

He stated that he had received complaints from the public about some officials extorting money from people seeking to benefit from the program saying, stern punitive action would be taken against such officials if they are exposed by the public.    

President Museveni further warned that those who misuse PDM money for unproductive activities, such as alcoholism, would face serious consequences. 

Museveni also underscored the need for Ugandans to understand the distinction between development and wealth creation, noting that while infrastructure is important, it does not automatically eradicate poverty tasking the people of Bunyoro and Uganda at large to embark on projects that will help them transform their livelihoods.