Godfrey Ongwabe, the national chairperson of cross border trade, told URN that when he followed up on the impounded fish with the Ministry of Agriculture he was told that it was immature and lacks a clear place of origin.
Business grounded to a halt at Busia border on Friday when fishmongers from Busia County in Kenya rose up in arms
protesting the impounding of their fish at Mpondwe border in Kasese with the
Democratic Republic of Congo-DRC.
The fisher mongers accused the Ugandan Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) and Uganda People’s Defence Forces- UPDF of impounding five
trucks of dry fish valued at Shillings
60million destined for DRC on Monday.
The traders who carried
placards and blew whistles blocked Ugandan registered trucks from crossing
into Kenya paralyzing traffic for more than six hours demanding that the
Ugandan government releases their fish.
They claimed that no Ugandan
authorities had come up to give them clear information as to why their fish was impounded. Godfrey Ongwabe, the national chairperson of cross border trade, told URN that when he followed up on the impounded
fish with the Ministry of Agriculture he was told that it was immature and lacks
a clear place of origin.
He, however, said that he had written to the Ministry
asking them to release the fish, saying there is no reason to impound goods in
transit from another country.
English audio:
//Cue in: "Not come out:...
Cue out:...EAS and COMESA"//
Milikisa Achieng, a fishmonger at Busia county
fish market in Kenya, said that
they want the Ugandan
government to explain why their consignment
was impounded and when it will be released since it was cleared
at the Uganda-Kenya border.
Kiswahili audio:
//Cue in: "We want
tune...
Cue out:...ama ni siku gani"//
Linete Asinah, another fishmonger says that the
decision of the Ugandan government to impound their fish is contrary to the cross border trade policy that prohibits a government to impound
goods on transit.
Kiswahili audio;
//Cue in; "Kwa nini
ikishaa......
Cue out:...tumefukuswa kwa ma,"//
James Walusimbi, a Ugandan trucker from Masaka district destined for Nairobi city is one of those who were caught up in the
protest. He explained that the protesters blocked them from crossing into
Kenya, which affected their journey.
Luganda audio:
//Cue in: "Kiki ekigenda mu
maaso...
Cue out:...mu
sitruggle yabwe"//
Vincent Wafula Omanya, a clearing agent at the Busia one-stop border post, said the protest paralyzed
their business since nothing was moving.
Kiswahili audio:
//Cue in: "Is the
only....
Cue out:...of them
here,"//
Connie Acayo, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industries and
Fisheries told URN that they impounded the five trucks after the drivers fled after arriving
at the checkpoint at Mpondwe post.
The trucks are currently parked in the parking yard pending the appearance of
their owners. She says that they will
not open the trucks until the owners show up.
Gabriel Mukisa
Freelancer