(by Winnie Auma) [Picture: Amolotar Councilors at Nalubwoyo landing site]
Rising water on Lake Kyoga has submerged two fish handling facilities on the landing sites in Amolatar district.
The fish facilities under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries and constructed with financial support from Icelandic International Development Agency-Iceida, are the ones allocated at Bangladesh in Namasale Sub County that cost about Uganda Shillings185 million and Nalubwoyo landing site in Agwingiri Sub County that cost about Uganda Shillings 35 million. The rising water that has extended to a distance of about 50 meters away from the docking piers has submerged the Fish Wash, the Weighing System, Water Pump System and the toilets at the two facilities.
The District Fisheries Officer of Amolatar Mr. Tonny Otunga said the disaster comes at the time when normal fishing activities that were banned over a year ago are set to resume. He said the situation may force them to build temporary fish handling structures in recommended landing sites as remedy should the crisis continue to last. He adds that this may affect the quality of the fish meant for export.
The rising water level and flooding has displaced several families living near the lake shores, destroyed their crops and halted ferry transport after the docking piers got submerged.