Kagadi:10 bodies found, 20 missing after boat capsises

KAGADI - Albertine Marine Police have recovered ten bodies out of 30 confirmed dead victims of Tuesday’s boat accident on River Ngusi in Kagadi District.

On Tuesday, 39 charcoal burners travelling from Bugoma central forest reserve in Kikuube District to Pacwa Town council in Kagadi District were swept away in the fast-moving river when their boat capsized in Kyaleni Village.

The deceased include: Kacenge Musinguzi, 24, Kahiigwa Mwesigwa, 28, Ahebwa Gumisiriza, 25, Omuhereza Tumusiime, 32, Thomas Byaruhanga, 26, and Robert Tugume, 24.

Police and local authorities confirmed that 11 people survived and were rushed to different health centres. Local reports indicate that some of the victims hailed from  Eastern Uganda.

Aged 29, Robert Kasija, narrated that he was among over 30 people sailing from their charcoal burning site in Bugoma Central Forest Reserve when their canoe capsized after their coxswain failed to control it.

“The cause of the tragedy was due to overloading. We were about 39 on board together with bags of charcoal. Since it was night, we were using big torches for lighting, and shortly after starting the journey, it started raining, interrupting our movement. I managed to survive because I knew how to swim’’, said Kasaija.

Tumuhaise Byaruhanga 27, said the incident occurred due to lack of visibility and rapids on River Ngusi and added that the canoe was overloaded.

“I wanted to postpone the Journey because it was dark at night and the canoe was packed with many charcoal burners returning to their homes. We also had many sacks of charcoal, but I risked,” he narrated. 

Marine experts and Albertine police continue to search sections of River Nkusi and on Lake Albert shores, where ten bodies have been retrieved from the waters. It is confirmed that thirty-nine people were travelling in the ill-fated boat; eleven survived, and others are still hospitalised.

The search is being conducted by the marine experts together with police and local residents who are well conversant with the place," Sulaiman Kirungi, the commander of Marine Police in Uganda, said on Friday, May 1.

He condemned acts of illegal activities in Bugoma Central Forest Reserve, calling for teamwork with local authorities National Forest Authority, and police to curb the vice.

He also castigated acts of overloading and failure to wear life jackets, which he says led to the tragedy.

Other leaders, including Yosia Ndibwami, the Kagadi LC5 Chairperson, blamed the National Forestry Authority (NFA) for failing to do their duty of protecting the forest, which has led to its destruction.

Justus Businge Pacwa, Town Council LC3 Chairperson, said people have been encroaching on gazetted areas, including forest reserves and wetlands in Kagadi, Kibaale, Kikuube and Hoima District, with impunity and asked National Forest Authority and environment police to intensify monitoring and supervision of gazetted areas to apprehend the suspected encroachers.

Robinah Nabbanja, the Prime Minister who visited the scene of the accident in Kyaleni Village, Pacwa Town Council on Thursday, on behalf of president Yoweri Museveni, pledged to contribute sh5m towards burial of each of the victims. 

Nabbanja, who described the occurrence as regrettable, however, condemned rampant degradation of the environment.

The prime minister issued a directive halting all illegal activities, including charcoal burning and encroachment, in the Bugoma Central Forest Reserve, which she said will be elevated to a game park under the protection of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).

“It is a regrettable incident to lose over twenty people at once. President Yoweri Museveni has sent me to deliver his condolence message to the grieving families and pledges to donate sh5m to each family that lost a family member. I appeal to everyone to take life so precious by wearing life jackets and report cases of overloading both in water and road transport to save lives of people,” said Nabbanja.