27 Drown On Lake Victoria

By Eddie SsejjobaAt least 27 people, some of them women and babies, drowned in Lake Victoria in Kalangala on Monday after their motor-boat capsized. Seven people survived. Some died soon after they had been rescued by fishermen.The boat, loaded with 34 travellers, was swept off course by a storm after its engine failed. It hit a rock and catapulted the passengers into the raging waters. The Police said the boat, locally known as Kinaala, was overloaded. The majority of the passengers were from Nyendo in Masaka. They said it was loaded with an assortment of merchandise. The boat was travelling from Lambu landing site in Bukakkata to various islands including Mazinga, deep in the lake. The boat was driven by its owner, Angello Mwebe of Nsereko Zone in Nyendo, who was rescued together with his brother in-law, Musanji. His other brother in law, Francis Mawanda, 18, died. The dead included a Police detective attached to the Special Branch, Alex Bboma, Night Namatovu of Nyendo, who died with her baby, and another mother with her baby only identified as Mrs. Wasswa. Others were Robert Muyingo, 23, a nurse, Florence Nabunya Kasule, Fred Matovu, 20, Ssebuuma and his brother Ssejjengo, and Luswata all from Nyendo. Other people who died were Ssalongo Steven Ssekabira of Mbiriizi, Eddie of Lambu, Luswata and Jacob Wasswa alias Mugungu of Nyendo but came from Masadde in Kiboga. Others were Abdu son of Mugenyi of Bukakkata, Waliggo, Sseruwu, Herbert and Wahabu both of Nyendo, Katongole, Mrs Kiviiri alias Mama Wilber of Malongo, Kayongo, Nakafeero wife of Gonzaga and Sseguya a.k.a. Mutalabani. The Police said six bodies had been rescued, including two for babies and two women. The district CID officer, Abdullah Bagonza, said the boat was overloaded wit matooke. No one had a life-jacket, he said. He said the survivors clang on to some floating merchandise until two boats rushed to rescue them. The survivors told the Police that the driver alerted the passengers near Mulabana that the engine had stopped. They continued to float on water but the strong winds washed the boat off course before it hit a rock and capsized. Bagonza said the Masaka fire brigade was called in to join the Marine Police search for bodies. Godfery Ssenabulya of Lambu, who saw the boat take off, said it delayed for some time as they struggled to load all the merchandise. Relatives on Tuesday went to Kalangala to join the search for bodies. All the goods perished. The LC5 chairman, Daniel Kikoola, warned residents against travelling on water without life jackets. There have been many boat accidents on Ugandan lakes. Most deaths arise from lack of life jackets.Ends