Two Primary Seven candidates drown in sand ponds in Gomba

____________

The police in Gomba district are investigating how two primary seven candidates drowned in a pond at a sand mining quarry near River Katonga.

Katonga Region police spokesperson Lydia Tumushabe today (May 21) confirmed the incident, saying the police in Gomba had recorded an incident of the drowning of two juveniles, which occurred on Tuesday evening.

She identified the juveniles as Sharif Kyabaggu, son of Musa Mawanda and John Jjuuko Muwanguzi, son of Geoffrey Munywanga, both pupils of Kifampa Model Primary School and residents of Kalwanga village, Gomba.

“It is alleged that on Tuesday evening, the two juveniles went for swimming in a deep pond at a sand mining quarry full of water,” she said, adding that the quarry is under the Katonga Wetland Reserve in Kiryaamenvu village.

Tumushabe said during the said swimming activity, the two juveniles reportedly failed to navigate through the deep water and subsequently drowned. She said police detectives visited the scene and obtained statements from eyewitnesses as investigations continue.

Residents, however, said the pupils had been studying during the holiday period and were sent back home on Tuesday for fees, but instead of going home, three of them rode a bicycle to go and visit the bridge construction site at River Katonga.

According to the Kiryamenvu village chairperson, Phinehas Sserwadda, people often go to watch construction works at the Katonga Bridge, but when the boys arrived at the site, two of them decided to go and swim in the nearby ponds.

It is said one pupil remained behind watching but was alarmed when he saw that the first pupil who dived in the pond had disappeared, and the second one who followed was waving his hand, calling for help.

The third pupil was, however, reportedly restrained by people nearby who feared he would also drown. Villagers made an alarm and alerted the teachers, who reached the scene but could not remove the bodies until volunteers retrieved them.

Sserwadda said it was a big concern that children go and recklessly swim in abandoned ponds. He asked the police to ensure that people do not access these sites because they are risky. Burial of the two pupils was scheduled for Thursday.