Hippo kills two teenagers in Rakai
Fishermen pictured looking at bodies of the 16-year-old boys who were killed by a hippo after they were retrieved from Lake Kijanebarola in Kirundamaliga, Rakai District. PHOTO/ AMBROSE MUSASIZI
Two teenage boys have been attacked and killed by an angry hippopotamus in Lake Kijanebarola in Rakai District, Police said.
The boys, both aged 16, who had gone fishing in a canoe were attacked by the hippo which was reportedly accompanied by a calf.
Rakai police identified the deceased as Geoffrey Mugabi and Christopher Kaggwa, residents of Lwamaggwa in Lwamaggwa Sub County and Kirundamaliga in Lwanda Sub County, respectively.
“We got information from residents that a hippo had attacked two boys who were sailing in a canoe boat and killed them,” Mr Charles Mubiru, the Rakai Resident District Commissioner (RDC) told this reporter on Tuesday.
The attack happened on Sunday at around 11am.
Mr Mubiru said they had contacted the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) officials who promised to engage the residents on how to protect themselves against the hippos.
Mugabi’s father, Mr Henry Mawanda said his son had ventured into fishing and vending chapattis after schools closed due to Covid-19.
“When schools closed, my son decided to go to his uncle, Mr Ben Kateregga in Kirundamaliga where he said he would look for money in small scale businesses and use the income to buy scholastic materials and school fees when schools reopen, but it’s so unfortunate that he toiled for nothing,” he said.
