President Yoweri Museveni has offered financial support worth 150 million Uganda shillings to families that lost relatives in the tragic River Nguse boat accident in Kagadi District. The heartbreaking tragedy has left many families in deep mourning after dozens of people were feared dead when a boat capsized while crossing the river.
The president’s support package was announced by Robinah Nabbanja while she addressed district leaders, security officials, and grieving relatives at the accident scene located in Kyaleni Cell, Pacwa Town Council in Kagadi District. Her visit to the area came as rescue and recovery operations continued along the river.
According to Nabbanja, the government will provide five million shillings for each person who lost their life in the tragedy. She explained that the money is intended to help affected families meet burial expenses and support them during the difficult period of mourning.
The prime minister directed district leaders and security teams to compile a comprehensive and accurate list of all victims and their relatives to ensure that every affected family benefits from the president’s assistance. She stressed the importance of transparency and fairness during the process.
As she addressed residents and local leaders, Nabbanja also warned communities living near the river against using unsafe and unauthorized boats for transportation. She said many people continue risking their lives by traveling in poorly constructed boats that are not fit for carrying passengers.
The prime minister expressed concern that many residents ignore safety measures while crossing rivers and lakes, exposing themselves to deadly accidents. She urged local communities to prioritize safety and avoid overcrowding boats beyond their carrying capacity.
Nabbanja further revealed that many of the victims were reportedly involved in illegal activities within Bugoma Forest Reserve. According to her, some of those who died had crossed into the forest reserve for charcoal burning and other unauthorized activities.
She warned residents of Kagadi and Kikuube districts to immediately stop illegal operations in the forest reserve. The prime minister explained that such activities not only destroy the environment but also expose people to dangerous situations.
Nabbanja added that the Uganda Wildlife Authority is currently working with her office to strengthen protection and management of Bugoma Forest Reserve. She revealed that plans are underway to deploy more wildlife rangers in the area following recent directives from President Museveni.
The deadly accident occurred on Tuesday evening when a locally made canoe reportedly carrying more than 30 passengers capsized while crossing River Nguse. Reports indicate that the boat was also heavily loaded with bags of charcoal at the time of the accident.
The passengers were reportedly traveling from Kikuube District back to Pacwa Town Council in Kagadi District when the tragedy happened. Many of them are believed to have been charcoal burners and farmers returning home after work activities across the river.
Witnesses and preliminary reports suggest that the boat may have been overloaded, making it unstable during the crossing. The combination of many passengers and heavy cargo is believed to have contributed to the accident.
So far, more than 20 people are feared dead following the tragedy, while only a few survivors managed to escape from the sinking boat. Reports indicate that eight people survived the accident and were rescued after the canoe overturned.
The heartbreaking incident has left many families devastated as rescue teams continue searching for missing victims. Relatives have been gathering near the river hoping for news about their loved ones while mourning those already confirmed dead.
Sulaiman Birungi, the commandant of the marine police, revealed that none of the passengers or even the boat operator had life jackets during the journey. He also stated that the canoe was not suitable for passenger transportation.
According to Birungi, the lack of proper safety equipment greatly increased the danger faced by passengers once the boat capsized. He emphasized the importance of enforcing strict safety measures on all water transport vessels.
Marine rescue teams from both the Uganda Police Force and the Uganda People’s Defence Force have been actively involved in search and recovery operations along the river.
By Friday afternoon, rescue teams had managed to retrieve several bodies from the river. Authorities confirmed that four bodies were recovered on Thursday while five additional bodies were retrieved on Friday as the search operation intensified.
Birungi stated that marine divers would continue camping in the area until all missing bodies are located and recovered from the river. Rescue teams are reportedly facing challenges due to the difficult conditions in the water.
As the nation mourns the victims of the River Nguse tragedy, many Ugandans are once again calling for stronger enforcement of water transport safety regulations across the country. The accident has renewed concerns about the increasing number of deadly boat accidents linked to overloaded vessels, lack of safety equipment, and weak enforcement of transport laws on Uganda’s waterways.
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