The speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga has attacked the president for defending the Uganda Peoples Defence Force (UPDF) marine officers who are harassing the fishing community in the name of enforcing fishing standards and laws.
The speaker while meeting the fishing community from Bukoli Islands together with their leaders led by Bukoli Islands member of parliament George Abott Ouma,said that she is surprised for the president defending the officers with the mistakes without whipping them.
The president while at state of the nation Address last week he stated that he deployed the officers to lakes since there were illegal fishing acts since leaders and fisheries officers were not doing their work against illegal fishing.
Kadaga said that she will summon the minister of defense Adolf Mwesige together with the head of UPDF marine officers to explain why the officers continue harassing fishing community and confiscating their boats and vehicles.
The fishing community asked the government to provide life jackets at a subsidized cost for their protection while fishing.
Nansubuga Saina said that currently a good life jacket costs from 75000 shillings to 150,000 shs. which they cannot afford.
The member of parliament for Busia municipality Geofrey Macho has asked government to prevail over the UPDF officers to stop harassing the fishing community and release their boats and vehicles.
He said that there should be rotational of the UPDF marine officers instead of leaving them to over stay on lakes and as a result they misbehave.
He asked Bukoli islands fishing community to rename one of their islands in name of Kadaga as recognition for her contributions for fishing community in this area.
