Nine fishermen survive drowning as more landing sites face closure
By Curthbert Kigozi
Nine fishermen have narrowly escaped death after a boat they were travelling in capsized on Lake Albert today. The incident occurred between Kyabarangwa and Nsongagi in Kigorobya sub-county, Hoima district.
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The fishermen were travelling to Kyabarangwa landing site from Nsongagi landing site which was closed recently.
The fishermen were travelling in two boats. One of the boats was loaded with their household property that included chairs, beds, cooking utensils and other cargo.
The Kibiro landing site Local Council Chairman Godfrey Abigaba says that a heavy wind swept up on the lake causing the boats to lose balance.
The boat that was loaded down with the fishermen's worldly belongings tipped over nearly taking the first boat on which the fishermen were with it. The fishermen were forced to jump out of the boat and struggle to cut free the second boat that was sinking.
Nearby fishermen seeing their colleagues in trouble, rushed over in more canoes to offer assistance.
The incident comes at a time when the police and army in Bunyoro sub region are enforcing an interagency taskforce directive to close down sixty-one ungazetted landing sites out of the 200 around lake Albert.
The decision was taken to help reduce unnecessary movement and curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic around Lake Albert's porous border points.
Hundreds of fishermen have said they are not sure how they will earn a living if all the ungazetted landing sites are shut down.
In Hoima alone over forty landing sites are ear marked to be closed.
The identified landing sites due for closure include:
Kikuube district
Bulinga
Ndokole
Kyeihunde
Wanjoki
Ususa
Kisege
Kiina
Kachunde
Busigi
Kabara
Nsunzu
Kyamura
Hoima district
Bukunyu
Kyamwana
Songagaki
Nsonga
Tegongo
Kabanda
Nyamutoba
Buhuma
Bukunyu
Kakono- Ongino
Pentye
Thetungo
Hoimo
Nana
Nyamutoba
Rwangara
Kabanda
Kiryatete
Kisege
Nsonga
Tegongo
Rwengabi
Kabanda
Nyabitoba
Teseni
Nyange
Bukunyu
Kacuru
Buliisa district
Kawaibanda
Tuugo mbili
Kololo
Waisoke
Chular
Munyale
Wankende
Meeri
Old Health center
Kigangaizi
Kiina
Sseeseko
Bubwe
Kigungu-Magali
Juba
Majara
Wanseko-Egyptian
Masaka
Walihoiza
Katooke
