Government provides machinery to clear floating islands on Lake Victoria

Government through Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) has provided machines to eliminate floating islands. 

The Permanent Secretary MAAIF Mr Pius Wakabi said: “The Ministry has provided three long arm excavators, two barges, one ferry, one hydraulic crane, three self-loading trucks, four dump trucks (20 ton) and one Bulldozer for clearing the staging areas of these floating islands spotted at Port bell in Luzira, Ggaba and Mukono.”

The Agriculture Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Mr Pius Wakabi while addressing the public at Portbell Luzira Pier on Wednesday, called upon the public to remain calm as the process to eliminate over 100 acres of floating islands from different parts of Lake Victoria, continue.

“Through collaboration with other line ministries, we have already successfully handled the floating island at the Jinja pier. That should assure the public that the recently sighted islands will also be dealt with,” he said.

Dr Edward Rukunya, the Director for Fisheries Resources in the Ministry of Agriculture said: “Through the Egypt-Uganda partnership, we trained experts and acquired more equipment to be used on both Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga. The machines are in good conditions,” he said.

The Finance Minister Hon Matia Kasaija who was also present said: “We are taking necessary steps to support the ministries in executing these control activities to avoid damage of homes, farmland and public facilities, or going towards the dam in Jinja again,” Kasaija said.

According to Hon Vincent Ssempijja, the urgent need also includes the protection of the fish landing sites from bombardment by the moving island.

The recently reported islands from the agriculture Ministry’s report indicate an estimated 100 acres of floating islands as total from different parts of Lake Victoria.