Ugandan police have committed to enforcing water safety measures in the aftermath of a boat accident on Lake Victoria that claimed three lives on December 10. The incident occurred between Kirewe Island and Namiti Island, involving participants returning from a training workshop organized by the Uganda Development Health Association.
To prevent water accidents, authorities announced that boat occupants not wearing life jackets would be arrested. Additionally, passenger boats have been banned from operating between 7 pm and 6 am. The move is a response to the tragic incident that led to the drowning of three individuals, identified as Annah Nabwire, Ashifah Namulondo, and Harriet Tulina.
Ms. Hellen Butoto, the Ssezibwa Regional Police spokesperson, confirmed that the bodies of the victims were retrieved and handed over to their respective relatives for burial. The statistics provided by the World Health Organization highlight Uganda’s high drowning death rate, with 502 fatalities per 100,000 people in lakeside fishing communities. The Lake Victoria Basin Commission reports an annual average of 5,000 drowning deaths in Lake Victoria.
Uganda has witnessed several boat accidents in recent years, prompting authorities to implement stricter water safety measures. Past incidents include a boat capsizing on April 3, 2022, resulting in six fatalities, and a tragic cruise boat accident on November 24, 2018, near Mutima Beach that claimed over 30 lives.
