Harmony On The Waves: Lt. Col. Mercy Tukahirwa’s FPU Ushers In A New Dawn For Greater Mukono’s Fisheries

By Brian keitira

In the shimmering expanse of Lake Victoria, a quiet revolution has taken root under the leadership of Lt. Col. Mercy Adah Tukahirwa, Commander of the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU). The fishing communities of Greater Mukono( Buvuma,Mukono,Buikwe & Kayunga) have found not just protection for their livelihoods, but a symphony of hope.

Lt. Col. Tukahirwa’s tenure, marked by compassion and resolve, has woven a tapestry of trust. Fisherfolk, once herded like cattle to detention cells for days on end, now speak of her with reverence. “She doesn’t break the spirit; she mends the net,” one fisherman from Kitamilo landing site said, echoing the proverb that says, “The fire that warms the home.”

The FPU’s approach has shifted from harsh enforcement to sensitization sessions on best practices, including mesh sizes compliant with the Fish Act, ban-period adherence, and eco-friendly baiting. Women, traditionally sidelined or shunned from certain islands under outdated taboos, have been empowered to cast their lines alongside men, transforming family boats into vessels of shared prosperity.

Recently, Lt. Col. Tukahirwa ordered the free return of impounded gear to fishermen in Buvuma, a gesture that has rippled like a well-cast line across the community. This shift has impacted the political landscape. In the 2021 elections, disillusionment ran deep, but Lt. Col. Tukahirwa’s humane helm has turned the page. Fisher communities, once adrift from the National Resistance Movement (NRM), now pledge overwhelming support for NRM in the forthcoming 2026 general elections.

“A single bracelet does not jingle,” an African proverb reminds us, highlighting the importance of collective effort. Lt. Col. Tukahirwa’s command has forged alliances with RDCs, DISOs, and DPC’s .Joint patrols and quarterly strategy huddles have slashed illegal incursions by more than 40%, fostering a security net as resilient as the lake’s own currents.

Assistant RDC Kizito Moses Buule in Buvuma hails this synergy: “It’s no longer us versus them; it’s all of us guarding the future.” This alliance ensures enforcement is fair, swift, and restorative. Landing sites that once bristled with tension now hum with harmony, where security is a shared vigil rather than a solitary storm, and trust in NRM-led initiatives flows as freely as the lake’s tides.

The impact of Lt. Col. Tukahirwa’s FPU is evident in the statistics. Pre-FPU interventions saw illegal practices decimate stocks, with Nile perch catches plummeting by up to 50% in the early 2020 due to overexploitation. Today, Buvuma’s landing sites report a 30% rebound in mature fish yields since 2023. The district’s economy, once tethered to subsistence hauls, now eyes a sustainable surge which is projected to boost incomes by more than 25% through ethical gear and seasonal quotas.

As President Yoweri Museveni noted during his recent visits to Buvuma, “The lakes were gasping for breath; now, they exhale abundance.” Lt. Col. Tukahirwa’s tenure as commander FPU is one of harmony and sustainability, where fisherfolk have reclaimed their dignity and trust in the NRM has been rebuilt. This sets the stage for a resounding victory in the 2026 general elections, not by force, but by the quiet power of proven goodwill. As one elder put it, quoting a timeless proverb, “This is the world of unity”; and in these waters, unity sails straight to triumph.

The writer is a senior cadre and works with office of the National Chairman-NRM.