Crocodile kills pregnant woman in Namayingo

TRAGEDY | NAMAYINGO

Tragedy befell residents of Bumoli landing site in Mutumba sub-county, Namayingo district when a 32-year-old pregnant woman was killed by a crocodile as she went to fetch water.

The deceased identified as Margret Auma, had gone to fetch water along the shores of Lake Victoria on today morning.

Body parts of the deceased, including toes, fingers and a pair of sandals were  discovered by residents at the shores.

According to one of the residents, Moses Odwori, they attempted to stab the reptile using a spear several times in a bid to rescue the Auma.
"We heard her make an alarm and we ran to scene and stabbed the crocodile in the abdomen, but it refused to let her go," he said.

Odwori urged leaders in the district to help construct boreholes in the area as a way to reduce on the hours people spend fetching water along the shores of Lake Victoria.

The LC 3 chairman Mutumba, Charles Kitosi, said 34 people have since the start of the year been eaten by crocodiles in his area alone.

He said majority of the people who are eaten by the crocodiles are women and children below the age of 12, who go to the lake shores to bathe, especially during night and morning hours.

The district fisheries officer of Namayingo, Fred Igoma, urged locals not to go alone to the lake shores, so they can be rescuedin case of emergencies.

Igoma said the district has written to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), informing them about the frequent attacks of crocodiles on the locals along the shores of Lake Victoria.

The MP for Bukooli islands constituency, Abbot Ouma, said legislators hailing from areas surrounded by water bodies will soon table a Bill before Parliament to compel the Government to compensate persons or families of persond who have been attacked by crocodiles.

Ouma said a total of 245 people in the entire constituency have been eaten by the crocodiles in two years.

The district police commander of Namayingo, Ibrahim Tukundane, cautioned residents against fetching water along the shores of lake Victoria during night hours.