Two pupils drown in Lake Victoria on Christmas Day

Two pupils drowned Monday evening in Lake Victoria, before one of the bodies was washed ashore at Masese Landing Site, Jinja South East Division in Jinja City.

Brian Mungdit, an eyewitness, said one of the teens went swimming but “disappeared” in the water, adding that when his colleague went to search for him, he, too, didn’t return, triggering a frantic search for both.

“One first responder to the lake was overwhelmed by the waters, and after not making it far into the water, he returned empty-handed,” Mungdit said.
He, however, added that when Police arrived at the scene, one body had been discovered and brought ashore by the local divers, while focus had shifted to finding the second body.

The body was identified as that of 12-year-old Fazali Mukungu Ebere, a pupil at Happy Hour Primary School.
The second body was retrieved after a long search by the police marine team on Tuesday morning.

The victim was identified as 10-year-old Akisham Wambadde, a pupil at Nakayonyi Primary School. 
However, tempers and emotions flared after Wambadde’s body was retrieved from the water as relatives and police clashed over whether to first take it to Jinja hospital mortuary for postmortem or not.
Police later surrendered the body to the relatives to be taken for burial. 

According to Mungdit, kids have been drowning at the same point, recalling January 1, 2023, when a similar tragedy happened.
“We heard colleagues screaming for help and mobilised very fast, but unfortunately, we couldn’t rescue the child alive,” said Mr Richard Mutenyo, another eyewitness after the first body was recovered.
According to Kiira Region Police Spokesperson, James Mubi, the two went to swim at Masese pier without an adult person to monitor their activities and movements.