DP blames boat tragedy on indiscipline

ACCIDENTS

Days have come and gone but November 24, 2018 is a day that will forever pin its self in the memories of those that lost their beloved ones in a fun filled boat cruise that turned into a massacre. 

Norbert Mao the president general of Democratic Party (DP) yesterday extended condolences to the bereaved families who lost loved ones during a press briefing at the DP headquarters in Kampala

"During this week of grieving and mourning, we wish to convey our sincere condolences to the families of those that perished in the tragic boat cruise. We also pray for those that survived but are injured physically, emotionally and physiologically," Mao said.

Mao noted with grief that this tragedy is more painful because it could have been avoided. Measures of safety should have been put in place for every vessel that carries passengers on water just like it is for passenger vehicles.

He further blamed this crisis on passengers who he criticised for being indisciplined after they failed to follow the orders of the police officers who had told them that the boat was in a poor state to be used especially with such a big number of the revelers.

"The revellers didn't listen to any thing the police men had to tell them instead kept calling them low lives with many more insults which left the police men with no option but to let them go," Mao stressed.

However, he posed a rhetoric question why the police would do anything to stop opposition activities but fail to stop the revellers of the boat cruise especially after predicting a possibility of danger.

"The boat was not sea worthy and the boat owners were highly irresponsible. The levels of ignorance and over consumption of alcohol in the name of having fun are the reasons why all this happened, which has cost the families of the victims," Mao added.

The police, army and other brave vigilant heroes at the scene, he said, did a commendable job trying their best to save the victims of the capsized boat, 26 were saved whereas over 30 were unfortunate.

Mao emphasised that regulations governing water bodies and vessels should be revised in order to avoid more of these mishaps happening in the near future due to dysfunctional regulations. He noted that it was up to the members of parliament to amend these regulations.

The inland and water transport act of 1939 which restricts and controls the carriage of goods and passengers by water within Uganda and Vessels (Registration) Act 1904 has never been amended since it was put in place.

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