Uganda, April 20 -- Yesterday, Monitor published a story detailing the plight of fishermen in the Kazinga Channel brought about by water hyacinth.

The channel, spanning 32kms, connects lakes George and Edward in southwestern Uganda.

Fishermen first noticed the presence of water hyacinth in 2021, but not much was done to contain it, with officials saying the weed now covers about 2kms of the 32km stretch.

After officially being recognised in Uganda on Lake Kyoga in May 1988, water hyacinth was reported in Lake Victoria a year later. Since then, the invasive plant has caused ecological, environmental and economic damage to the lakes in Uganda.

In the early 2000s, it became a national emergency after masses of water hyacinth invaded area...