CONFLICT RESOLUTION THROUGH SPORTS

CONFLICTS ARISING FROM FISHING DISPUTES are common on the islands. Kuokoa engages in the sponsorship of sports teams and sporting events in the Koome Sub-county of Mukono to facilitate greater inter-community communication and co-operation. By doing this we aim to spread the message of responsible fisheries stewardship, and reduce conflicts that may occur due to misunderstandings as the Koome LPA is implemented over time.

As pressure mounted on Uganda’s fisheries, and fish stocks reduced, counts of violent clashes between local and migrant fishermen greatly increased. This is one of the primary reasons why a detach of Ugandan Peoples Defense Force (UPDF) soldiers were deployed to the lake.

Conflict resolution through sports is a relatively new initiative which aims to promote comradery between the Bulago Island community and fishing co-operative members and to help mitigate heightened territorial disputes between fishermen caused by implementing and enforcing the Koome LPA. By bringing people together through friendly sporting competition we aim to alleviate conflicts brought up by fishing disputes. We will use organized sporting events as a platform to provide opportunities for members of island communities affected by the LPA to learn about, and further understand, the need for such a conservation area and their place within it.

Beyond furthering the agenda of the LPA, football is a hugely beloved pastime in Uganda and on the Islands. Youths and adults alike idolize their favorite football players and teams, aspiring to develop their skills and play in a more serious context. Kuokoa aims to provide special sporting opportunities (coaching, equipment and facilities) to the Bulago Island football team to instill a sense of pride amongst residents for the island.

Having now established the island’s official football club Bulago United (B. United), we aim to increase Kuokoa’s support for sports in the subcounty by improving sports facilities and hosting tournaments. Our long-term aim is to found and sponsor an islands league allowing teams to compete against national league teams and in national level tournaments.