Gatsibo district suspends traditional boats on Lake Muhazi

EASTERN PROVINCE GATSIBO—Fishermen and residents are crying out after district authorities prohibited all traditional canoe boats to fish or transport people from Gatsibo to Rwamagana on Lake Muhazi after the drowning of two people in the lake last week. A dozen of fishermen and water transporters on the waters have expressed their frustration and disappointment over what they describe as “unfair decisions to prohibit all activities.” “The heaven has closed on us,” president of the managing cooperate of Lake Muhazi Vincent Shyaka said. “The only income we have has been blocked and now many fishermen have resorted to fishing during night hours because of desperation to get the daily bread for their families and earn a living.” Two people drowned weeks ago, including a Senior-4 student from Umutara Polytechnic and a local resident. The incident sparked action by the district to take collective action in prohibiting all local canoe boats. Residents are facing it rough and costly to reach their businesses across the lake in Kayonza district. ‘We have stopped all fishermen and transporters who still use the local boats and encouraged them to put themselves in cooperatives to be able to gain financial strength to afford buying motor boats, which can stand the strong winds of Lake Muhazi,” said Vincent Murenzi, executive secretary of the sector. Murenzi noted that people living near the lake had an “old-fashioned attitude” towards the physics of the lake, based in superstition and religion, instead of fact, logic, and safety. Ends