The National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate, Mr Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, has pledged to withdraw all soldiers currently deployed on Lake Albert and other water bodies across Uganda if elected President.
The presidential hopeful made the pledge during his campaign rally at Kigorobya Trading Centre in Hoima District on Wednesday, accusing the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Fisheries Protection Unit of harassing and torturing fishermen under the guise of enforcing fishing regulations.
‘Our people continue to die on our lakes across the country. When I become President, my first executive order will be to remove all the soldiers from the lakes. Those who have been tortured will be compensated,’ he said.
Mr Kyagulanyi argued that the continued military deployment on Uganda’s lakes, initially justified as a conservation measure, has instead resulted in widespread abuse and economic hardship for fishing communities. He added that many Ugandans have lost their lives on the lakes without accountability.
Lake Albert, which borders Hoima, Buliisa, and other districts in the Bunyoro Sub-region, has long been a flashpoint for tension between fishermen and security forces. Fishermen have often accused soldiers of wrongfully confiscating their nets and boats under the guise that they are using illegal gear, leaving them impoverished. In 2017, President Museveni deployed soldiers under the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU) to curb illegal fishing on Uganda’s major lakes.
However, numerous reports from local communities allege that the FPU has since deviated from its mission, engaging in extortion, brutality, and illegal seizures. The FPU denies any wrongdoing.
During the same rally, Mr Kyagulanyi also promised to establish a public university in the Bunyoro Sub-region, saying the government has neglected the region’s education needs for decades.
‘For nearly 40 years, the government has ignored the establishment of a public university in Bunyoro. Once we are in power, we shall build one here. This will make education accessible to our students and create jobs for our people,’ he said.
President Museveni has repeatedly made similar pledges. The government is reportedly in advanced stages of constructing Bunyoro Public University, to be located at Bulera Core Primary Teachers College in Hoima, with the UPDF Engineering Brigade expected to undertake the project.
Jobs, education, industrial growth
Mr Kyagulanyi emphasised that his administration would prioritise job creation, free education, and industrial development, arguing that current government efforts focus too narrowly on road construction.
‘We intend to create jobs across all sectors, not just through roads and agriculture. We shall set up factories and industries that will employ our people,’ he said. He added that despite Bunyoro’s wealth in natural resources, its people have not benefited due to corruption and poor governance.
While concluding his third day of campaigns in the Bunyoro Sub-region, covering Kibaale, Kagadi, Kakumiro, Kikuube, Hoima District, and Hoima City, Mr Kyagulanyi criticised the government for what he termed neglect of the oil-rich region.
‘This region has oil, yet the people of Bunyoro have not benefited from it. Once elected, we shall ensure that this wealth transforms the lives of our people,’ he said during a rally in Kikuube District.
He pledged that under his administration, Bunyoro would receive 30 percent of the oil proceeds, compared to the current one percent share allocated by the government.
He also promised to provide meals for all learners in public schools to boost academic performance and reduce dropout rates.
Mr Jackson Magambo Mulindambura, the district councillor for Kiganja Sub-county, highlighted the persistent challenges faced by communities along Lake Albert, which borders Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
He said although the lake connects Uganda to the DRC, there is no proper market infrastructure to facilitate cross-border trade, calling on the next President (2026 to 2031) to prioritise infrastructure and connectivity to boost local commerce.