The Katikkiro of Buganda, Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga, has urged fishing communities across the island district of Kalangala to revive indigenous conservation practices and embrace agriculture to preserve depleting fish stocks in Lake Victoria while diversifying their livelihoods.
Addressing hundreds of islanders at the Lwazi Bubeke Landing Site in Bubeke Sub-county on November 3, 2026, the Premier stressed that traditional norms once played a pivotal role in protecting aquatic life, warning against overreliance on the lake and destructive fishing methods.
‘Practise fishing that saves the lake. In the past, fishermen were not fishing every day because they knew there were days when one should not go fishing to allow fish stocks to increase in the lake,’ Katikkiro Mayiga told the gathering. He noted that historically, fishermen used designated non-fishing days to till the land, a practice that allowed fish to reproduce naturally while ensuring household food security. ‘Whenever fishermen went to the gardens, the fish would return into the lake, and that is how they managed to keep the fish stocks in the lake. Do not catch immature fish. You are the owners of the lake, so you should lead in making sure you handle the lake so well.’
The Katikkiro, who was on an official tour of Ssese County to assess community development and spearhead health sensitization, expressed deep concern over the high prevalence of HIV among the island population. Official district health records indicate an HIV prevalence rate of 12 percent-significantly higher than the national average.
Emphasizing that the virus is preventable, Mr Mayiga urged the islanders to take personal responsibility for their health and strictly adhere to medical advice if diagnosed. ‘HIV/Aids doesn’t enter your body the way malaria does. HIV enters the body when you are well aware of how it enters you. Now, if you know how it enters the body, why don’t you use preventive methods?’ he questioned. ‘If you are found with HIV, it’s not the end of the world. Go get medication and adhere to the advice given by medical doctors. How can you brave these strong winds on the lake and fear taking your medication?’
Echoing the Premier’s call, the Kweba (the Kabaka’s Chief for Ssese County), Mr Augustine Kasirye, challenged local residents to take full ownership of the water bodies surrounding them and actively reject illegal fishing. He urged those engaged in unlawful practices to reform, noting that local vigilance is crucial to stopping outsiders from destroying the lake.
‘There is no one that should be the first to protect this lake more than you who are living in Kalangala District. God gave others oil, but He gave us the lake that we should jealously protect,’ Mr Kasirye said. ‘I ask all fishermen to accept that the full responsibility is theirs, and those coming from other countries or elsewhere should not be allowed to involve themselves in fishing methods that destroy the lake. Now is the time to get a hoe and grow something, and when the fish come back in the lake, you can go fishing and keep the garden to have two economic activities to widen your resource base.’
The call for livelihood diversification comes at a critical time when economic hardship continues to strain social structures in the archipelago. Kalangala District Chairperson, Ms Agnes Lunkuse, highlighted the severe socio-economic toll that recent fishing restrictions have had on families, particularly young girls.
Reflecting on her recent inspection of educational institutions in the area, Ms Lunkuse revealed that the economic downturn following the government’s halt on silverfish (Mukene) harvesting has left many parents unable to provide basic necessities.
‘On my official oversight visit at Kasekuro Primary School, I realised that out of 352 pupils, only 10 could have something to eat while at school. The remaining 342 couldn’t have a meal, and their parents could not afford to buy them sanitary wear,’ Ms Lunkuse revealed. She further warned that the economic slump has escalated vulnerability to sexual exploitation on the landing sites. ‘Commercial sex workers had run away, saying there were no men with money to buy their services. As a result, men began targeting these young school-going girls to satisfy their desires.’
Kingdom officials and district leaders resolved to work together through cultural and administrative structures to push for sustainable fishing enforcement, farming initiatives, and heightened health interventions across the Kalangala islands.