Crocodile eats 12-year-old boy in Namayingo
NAMAYINGO- A 12-year-old boy was on Sunday eaten by a crocodile on the shores of Lake Victoria.
The deceased, Mr Oscar Owere, was a Primary Six pupil at Lolwe Islands Primary School and a resident of Kisumu-Bukangawa village, Lolwe Islands Sub-county in Namayingo District.
He met his fate while drawing water from the lake.
Mr Peter Ouma, a fisherman, told Daily Monitor that he was organising his fish nets when he saw the boy being tossed by the lethal reptile “several meters in the lake.”
“When I rushed to the scene, I saw a huge crocodile moving fast towards him deep in the lake,” he said, adding that he raised an alarm that attracted other fishermen who looked on helplessly as the boy was being devoured by the reptile.
Some of the deceased’s body parts like the hand, fingers and toes were recovered ashore at Lolwe Landing Site, two hours later.
Lolwe Islands Sub-county Chairman, Mr Baabu Barasa, said they have on several occasions asked the Uganda Wild Authority (UWA) to capture the marauding reptiles which have killed several people.
UWA Spokesperson, Mr Jossy Muhangi, who said he was not yet aware of the incident, said efforts are underway to have the reptiles trapped and relocated to a crocodile sanctuary.
Mr Barasa said residents fear being attacked by the reptiles since the lake is their main source of water.
The area Member of Parliament, Mr Abbot Ouma, told Daily Monitor that majority of residents fetch water from the lake for domestic purposes due to lack of boreholes in the area.
He said that for the past two years, a total of 109 people have been eaten by crocodiles in the constituency while 35 others have survived although without body parts like hands and legs.
He said 84 people who were eaten by crocodiles are children below the age of 15.
Mr Ouma urged government to construct boundaries along the shores to save the reptiles from attacking people who go to fetch water or bathe on the shores.
“Recently, while in Israel, I discovered that most of the lake bodies have pillars constructed along the shores to protect people who go to fetch water from being attacked by the deadly reptiles,” he said while urging government to compensate families which have been eaten up by crocodiles.
The Busoga East Police Spokesman, James Mubi, cautioned parents against sending children to fetch water on the lake shores especially at night.
