Merab - My journey to Rwenshama

Ever since Margaret & Emma first visited the community of Rwenshama, we knew we would be going back. Rwenshama is the most vulneralbe community we've seen in Uganda, and we've made it our mission to get to know the women of Rwenshama in an effort to help build the community.

The women of Rwenshama meet with Fortunate to talk about their community.

Recently, Fortunate was able to spend some quality time with the women of Rwenshama. She was able to interview the members of the women group. During the interviews, Fortunate met a woman named Merab. Merab was there when the Obote government pushed her community from their original home to Rwenshama.

This is her story.

"I was six years old in 1983 when the Obote government evicted us from Nyamishasha and Kabwema. They burned down our homes and forced us to leave the only place we had grown to call home. The only reason they gave us, was that we were occupying government land that belonged to the national park. Our parents lost everything they owned such as land, houses, cattle, and chickens to mention a few. Some of them even lost their honor and prestige, especially the village chiefs whom we considered our leaders. We were left with nothing.

We were over one thousand people who were displaced. They left us at PIDA site (a road construction company by then). We stayed at their premises as most of our friends, relatives, parents and family members were devoured by lions. A few that survived proceeded to Rwenshama community where we settled. We were 860 people left when we settled in Rwenshama.

The government later gave us experimental fishing vessel [permits]. Out of the 860 people, we were given only 10 experimental fishing vessel [permits] that licensed us to carry out fishing on Lake Edward. After several years passed, we were given 10 more [boats] in 2001. We continued to increase in number, and in 2016 the local government added another 60 [vessels and permits] making a total of 80 licensed fishing boats."

Although this seems promising, Fortunate later found out that around November 20th, 2018, the Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF, aka Ugandan military) confiscated about 65 boats, along with nets and other fishing equipment, and burned them to ashes. Anyone who protested this action was severely beaten, and sent to prison. No other fishing groups were targeted during the UPDF action. The reasons behind the confiscation remain unknown.