Mr. President, you are not safe on water

By Dr Myers Lugemwa

Perusing the front pages of the New Vision of Monday, March 21, 2016 and Wednesday, April 13, 2016, I saw Your Excellency President Yoweri Museven, that you had no life jacket while crossing River Mayanja on canoe UPD MF.S 004 and recently while enjoying a boat ride on Lake George.

The River Mayanja scenario was even more eye catching as you had an entire team of VIPs  who included, inter alia, the First lady, Madam Janet Kataaha Museveni and Rt. Hon. Second  Deputy Prime Minister, General Moses Ali.

Mr. President, I was greatly perturbed to see you on the two occasions without a life jacket.

While your security may be "gulu gulu," the Luganda lingua for" guaranteed", your safety on water during the period in question was not gulu gulu. I therefore, pray, Mr. President that the next time you travel on water, you do not miss to put on a life jacket.

The principle of a life jacket is premised on the Archimedes's Principle of floating bodies that the upward buoyant force that is exerted on a body immersed in a fluid, whether fully or partially submerged, is equal to the weight of the fluid that the body displaces. Archimedes' principle is a law of physics fundamental to fluid mechanics discovered way back before our great grand fathers were born.

Swimming in River Rwizi, as primary school kids in Mbarara, we used to envy the whites such as Cryton, the headmaster of Ntare School, Le Wilson, headmaster , Mbarara High School- the Bull, and others, who although  had no modern life jackets then, used inflated car tubes to go afloat  while swimming in the river.  There is a young man at Bujagali who earns a living by crossing the River Nile using an empty but air-filled closed jelly can.  The idea is to keep him afloat so that he does not drown in the event that Bujagali spirits call him to go to his grave.

Boaters enjoy the feel of sun and spray. In Uganda, Mr. President, most Ugandans inadvertently or otherwise boat without wearing life jackets, especially on nice days. But modern life jackets are available in a wide variety of shapes, colours and sizes. Many are thin and flexible. Some are built right into fishing vests or hunter coats. Others are inflatable as compact as a scarf or fanny pack until they hit water, when they automatically fill with air.

Certain life jackets are designed to keep your head above water and help you remain in a position which permits proper breathing.

Life jackets should be tested for wear and buoyancy at least once each year. Waterlogged, faded, or leaky jackets should be discarded. Life jackets must be properly stowed.

 Life jackets will save you:

• When capsised in rough water.
• When sinking in unexpectedly heavy lake or river conditions.
• When thrown from the boat as a result of a collision.
• When injured by rocks or submerged objects.
• When unconscious from carbon monoxide fumes.
• When tossed into freezing water.
• When thrown off balance while fishing.
• When unable to swim because of heavy or waterlogged clothing.

The best lifejacket is the one you will wear at all times when the vessel is underway. A wearable lifejacket can save your life, but only if you wear it.

We want you safe Your Excellency; there is no excuse not to wear a life jacket on the water!

The writer is a Ugandan medical doctor