A 15-year-old boy has drowned in Lake Bunyonyi in Rubanda District, prompting Marine Police in the Kigezi sub-region to renew calls for residents to observe water safety measures.
The deceased, identified as Mukiza, a resident of Kashasha Trading Centre in Rubanda District, drowned at Itara Village on the shores of Lake Bunyonyi at about 5pm on Tuesday. However, his body was successfully retrieved at around 7:00PM.
Police said the incident has heightened concerns over the increasing cases of drowning on the lake.
Kigezi Police spokesperson, Superintendent of Police Nelson Tumushime, urged parents and guardians to ensure that children do not swim without adult supervision.
“Children should not swim without the supervision of adults,” Tumushime said, while also advising people using canoes and boats to wear life jackets.
He further cautioned residents and visitors against sailing on the lake at night, saying doing so increases the risk of accidents and drowning.
He said that Marine Police will continue conducting sensitisation campaigns among communities living around Lake Bunyonyi in collaboration with local council leaders and school administrators to promote water safety.
CUE IN SP TUMUSHIME…ON THE INCIDENT….RR/ENG//
Lake Bunyonyi, a popular tourism destination in south-western Uganda, attracts residents and visitors who engage in boating and other activities on the lake, making adherence to water safety measures important.
