A Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Fisheries Protection Unit officer was killed in a violent encounter with fishermen on Lake Kyoga during an operation aimed at curbing illegal fishing, in an incident that has reignited debate over the military's conduct on Uganda’s lakes.
The officer, identified as Private Bedwin Mugisa Oyat, was attached to the Namasale detach in Amolatar District.
He was reportedly attacked and killed by a fisherman he had arrested in the waters between Bukungu in Buyende District and Namasale.
UPDF Fisheries Protection Unit spokesperson Lt Lauben Ndifula confirmed the incident and attributed it to a group of fishermen known for repeatedly flouting fishing regulations.
“There is a growing trend of aggressiveness by some fishermen on Lake Kyoga who confront enforcement officers while executing their duties,” said Lt. Ndifula.
“However, we remain committed to enforcing the law and restoring order on our waters.”
Private Oyat, a native of Payuta Village in Paduny Parish, Awach Sub-county in Gulu District, died in the line of duty, and investigations are ongoing to apprehend those involved in the attack.
Lake Kyoga, which stretches across regions including Teso, Lango, and Busoga, has in recent years become a hotspot for conflict between the military and fishing communities.
While the UPDF Fisheries Protection Unit was deployed to eliminate the use of illegal gear and unsustainable fishing methods, its methods have increasingly drawn criticism.
Fishermen accuse some UPDF officers of brutality, extortion, and hypocrisy. At Bukungu landing site, a fisherman who requested anonymity alleged that officers routinely accept bribes in exchange for allowing fishing outside regulated hours—only to later arrest those same fishermen.
“They take money from us and tell us when we can fish, but then turn around and arrest us even after receiving the money,” he said.
Such claims have become widespread, with community leaders and civil society actors warning that the relationship between the military and fishing communities has been eroding for years.
The friction is widely believed to have played a role in the ruling National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) dwindling support in lakeside constituencies during the 2021 general elections.
In Busoga Sub-region—where districts such as Buyende, Kamuli, Mayuge, and Namayingo border major water bodies—the NRM recorded poor showings at the polls, an outcome many attribute to voter resentment over alleged abuses by UPDF officers operating on Lakes Victoria and Kyoga.
“The continued presence of the army on the lake has created more fear than compliance,” a local leader in Buyende said.
“Yes, illegal fishing is a problem, but the enforcement model needs urgent review.”
The UPDF has maintained that its operations are essential to protecting the fishing industry from collapse due to overfishing and the use of prohibited methods.
But as the death of Private Oyat demonstrates, the hostility on the waters is escalating to dangerous levels.
As the army investigates the incident, pressure is mounting for a reassessment of how fisheries enforcement is managed—both to ensure the safety of officers and to rebuild trust with the communities they are meant to serve.