The Kaiso fishing community have been hit again by four militiamen suspected to be from the DRC, who raided Lake Albert and robbed three boat engines. The development comes a few weeks after another robbery and kidnapping by the same group.
According to Fred Mujuni the Chairman of Kaiso fishing community, the armed militiamen raided the lake at around 2 a.m near Kaiso landing site in Kabaale sub-county Hoima district and placed several fishermen at gunpoint before ordering them to surrender the engines.
Mujuni noted that the four-armed militiamen dressed in Congolese Military Uniform after accomplishing their mission, immediately crossed to the Democratic Republic of Congo leaving the fishermen stranded in the middle of the lake.
Some of the victims have been identified as Jacob Okumu, Salom and Keu.
The Albertine Region Police Spokesperson Julius Hakiza, says that security has launched investigations into the robbery.
Hakiza noted that security teams are already in talks with their DRC counterparts to forge a way how the attacks on Ugandan fishermen can end. Attacks by suspected Congolese Militia on Ugandan fishermen have been rampant since 2018.
Fishermen in the Kaiso community have endured a series of attacks from suspected militiamen for the last one month or so. On March 21, armed Congolese Militiamen raided the lake robbing 19 boat engines from Ugandan fishermen. On March 14, 2021, four-armed Congolese militiamen raided the lake abducting 16 Ugandan fishermen. They also robbed four fishing boats and four engines.
The abducted fishermen were detained for a week at the Tchomia Landing Site in Bunia district and released after each paid 50 United States Dollars.
