Two drown in Lake Kyoga

By Lawrence Okwakol 

Two people died instantly when a  heavily  strong storm hit  Agule county, Pallisa district on Wednesday afternoon forcing the boat they were occupying to  capsize in Nuaguo waters a tributary of Lake Kyoga.

The boat had three occupants who were fishing  but two died on spot and one  was taken to hospital after gulping several litter’s of  the Kyoga Nuaguo waters.

Those who drowned were  identified as  Simon Olinga 25yrs and  Ivan Okoboi an 18 year old  senior three student of Agule high school. The survivor Ronald Okuni  20 years was rushed to Kaboloi health center III for better management.

William Emurwon the Agule sub county district councilor said the trio had gone for fish  which is  their usual business but they became unfortunate  and met a disaster that claimed  some lives.

 By press time Emurwon said that the search for the missing bodies was  taking long    because the incident happened in the evening while as the  manpower used was unskilled.

“The problem the search was manual as local unskilled people  were involved  and that’s why it takes  them long to get bodies.”

One of the dead Okoboi is from Kinomu village while Olinga is from Kareu village both in  Agule sub county”, Emurwon said.

Okuni the survivor said the storm was too much  that got them in the middle of the lake while  the stone that is always  used for stopping the boat slid off into the water.
“I got stuck holding the edge of the boat and kept rolling with it. I thank God for my life though I am sorry for my colleagues who are not seen up to now “, Okuni said.

Moses Mwanje, a senior  teacher of Agule high school said they got news of the death of their brilliant student Okoboi with shock .Mwanje said Okoboi has been very promising student regardless of being from poor background.

Robert Otaget, the Agule town council chairperson said the cause of the accident was attributed to  using small boat and panic.

One Otaget a resident of Agule said that just like motorcyclists use  helmets, the fishing community should also start using  life jackets.

“Minister state for fisheries  Hellen Adoa on Tuesday gave out life jackets worth 10million , why shouldn’t it be for the entire fishing community in the sub region,” Otaget asked.

David Ochwa the Agule county member of parliament said that  he was going to follow up with the ministry of fisheries to have the question of life jackets answered and given to people whose source of survival is fishing.

Ochwa Hellen Adoa, the state minister of fisheries is better positioned to provide people with life jackets and also have skilled divers trained Ochwo added.

However, Charles Otto the Pallisa district fisheries officer said that the challenges  are people have insisted on using written off boats instead of the 25 feet boats whose weight can  contain little  bit of resistance unlike these other small ones.

Otto said that  leave alone this  particular accident people along the lakes in Pallisa should desist from sending juveniles for fishing .

“My advice is for people to put their little resources together and buy a recommended boats and also buy life jackets. The issue  of life risking is dangerous like we have witnessed,” Otto said.