Motor boat riders operating on Lake Bunyonyi have accused Marine Police officers of alleged extortion, saying the vice is threatening their livelihoods and frustrating transport activities on the lake.
A boat trip to some of the 29 islands on the lake, including Bwama Island, remains one of the major tourist attractions in the area. Other popular activities include canoeing in dugout boats, bird watching, swimming, and hiking. For many residents, motor boat riding is their sole source of income.
However, the riders claim they are considering abandoning the trade due to what they describe as persistent extortion by Marine Police officers.
Speaking to our reporter, Phillip Byarugaba, commonly known as “Big Nose,” together with Simpson Munyambabazi, a resident of Mugyera Parish in Habuhutu Town Council, Rubanda District, said officers have shifted from ensuring safety on the lake to demanding money from boat operators.
Munyambabazi, who says he has spent 20 years in the business, alleged that riders are forced to pay between Shs2,000 and Shs10,000 during operations on the lake. He narrated how he was once forced to abandon his boat after failing to meet the officers’ demands.
The riders appealed to authorities to transfer the implicated officers, accusing them of abandoning their mandate of protecting water transport users.
George Tukwasiibwe, the Publicity Secretary for the Owners of Motor Boats and Riders Association, said many operators no longer make meaningful earnings because of fear that whatever little they earn will be taken by Marine Police officers.
He added that the rising fuel prices have worsened the situation, questioning the purpose of the officers’ presence on the lake if they cannot support the community but instead allegedly extort residents.
Tukwasiibwe warned that the continued practice could increase poverty levels among boat riders and their families.
CUE IN BOAT RIDERS…..ON THE MATTER…..RR/ENG//
Noah Mubangizi, the Chairperson of the Owners of Motor Boats and Drivers Association, said residents had expected Marine Police officers to work closely with the community and train locals in rescue operations for drowning victims.
Instead, he accused the officers of targeting riders transporting residents and luggage across the lake, especially on market days such as Mondays and Fridays.
Mubangizi, who is also the LCIII Chairperson-elect for Rubaya Sub-county in Ndorwa West County, claimed the amount demanded by officers often depends on the load being carried by the boat.
He questioned where the allegedly extorted money ends up and revealed that efforts to engage the Uganda Police Force over the matter have yielded little progress.
He appealed to higher authorities to intervene and restore sanity on the lake.
CUE IN MUBANGIZI……ON THE MATTER…..RR/ENG//
Efforts to obtain a comment from the Kabale District Police Commander were unsuccessful. However, the Assistant Resident District Commissioner for Kabale, Nelson Black Atwongyeire, said his office had not previously received formal complaints regarding the allegations.
He nevertheless revealed that the RDC’s office plans to engage police leadership to ensure harmony between Marine Police officers and boat operators on the lake.
CUE IN ATWONGYEIRE…..ON THE MATTER……RR/ENG//
