A somber atmosphere descended upon Kisimbanyiriri Village in Lwanda Sub County, Rakai District, as residents mourned the loss of two young sisters who tragically drowned in a valley dam on Saturday, April 13, 2024.
The victims, 9-year-old Daphine Namirembe and 12-year-old Sheila Nantongo, were students at Victorious Nursery and Primary School in Lumbugu, respectively. The sisters had ventured to the dam to wash clothes and fetch water for household chores, a routine task they often performed.
Their father, Frank Kabugo, expressed deep sorrow over the incident, revealing that he was away from home when the tragedy occurred. Kabugo lamented the loss of his beloved daughters, highlighting the void their absence would leave in his life.
According to eyewitnesses, Sheila bravely attempted to rescue her younger sister but tragically lost her own life in the process. The family’s grandfather, Rapheal Kiggundu, mourned the loss of his grandchildren, noting their valuable assistance with household chores during holidays and expressing concern about managing without their help.
The local community raised concerns about the safety of water sources in the area, calling upon the government to provide access to safe and clean water to prevent similar incidents in the future. Rashid Kimbowa, the Kisimbanyiriri Parish chairperson, emphasized the importance of parental supervision, urging parents to accompany their children when accessing water sources to ensure their safety.
Rakai District vice chairperson Umar Ssebalinde echoed these sentiments, highlighting the need to enforce existing bylaws prohibiting parents from sending minors to valley dams unaccompanied. Ssebalinde emphasized the urgency of implementing measures to educate parents on safer water-fetching practices to prevent further tragedies.
Southern Regional Police Spokesperson Twaha Kasirye confirmed the incident and stated that investigations had commenced to ascertain the circumstances leading to the sisters’ drowning. The tragic loss of Daphine and Sheila serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with unsafe water sources and the importance of community efforts to prevent such devastating accidents.
