Crocodile kills eighth fisherman in Kasese
Mar 09, 2015
According to the district principal fisheries officer, the incident brings to eight the number of people killed by crocodiles in the district
By John Thawite
A would-be happy fishing expedition turned tragic last week when a crocodile attacked and mauled a fisherman identified as Vincent Kiiza at Kasenyi fishing village on Lake George, Kasese district.
According to the district principal fisheries officer, Julius Baluku, the incident brings to eight the number of people killed by crocodiles in the district in the recent past.
Regretting the sad incident, Baluku said by the time he and his team rushed to the area after getting a phone call, Kiiza was already dead.
Baluku said Kiiza was the eighth person to be killed by crocodiles in Kasenyi.
“It is regrettable. We appeal to the Government to intervene to prevent further attacks” he said.
The Kasenyi parish chief in the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu, Muhamood Kyamukono, said 27-year-old Kiiza hailed from Mugogo village, Ryeru sub-county in Rubirizi district.
Narrating the incident, Kyamukono said Kiiza was casting his fishing net into the lake when the crocodile pounced on him and dragged him underwater.
Amina Masika drawing water from the crocodile infested Lake Edward. Photo by John Thawite
Another eyewitness, John Bwambale, said Kiiza was with a friend, who managed to escape and raise an alarm.
Using stones, the residents scared away the crocodile and recovered Kiiza’s body.
“Even when the park rangers arrived, they also used stones to drive the beast away. Why did they not shoot the killer crocodile?” Bwambale asked.
Bwambale and other residents appealed to the Government to remove the crocodiles from the lake.
The Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area manager Nelson Guma, also regretted the incident but refuted claims that the crocodiles had killed eight people.
He said other wild animals might be responsible for the deaths.
Guma, however, cautioned fishermen against standing in their boats while casting their nets as it attracts the crocodiles.
“The crocodile-human conflicts have increased, so we have embarked on sensitizing the fishing communities around lakes George and Edward to prevent more fatalities,” he said.
Katwe/Kabatoro town council in Kasese distirct has reported five crocodile attacks in a space of three years, three of which involved pupils.
Two of those killed, were pupils at Katwe Primary School, while 13-year-old Jonice Mbambu was killed while washing clothes.
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