42  drown in lakes, ponds in 7 months

At least 42 people, including children, have drowned and died in either ponds or lakes in the last seven months, available statistics reveal.

Of these, 31 drowned in Lake Victoria after boats they were travelling in capsized while eight children died in ponds in Bukedi Sub-region and Luweero District respectively.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics, Uganda registers “one of the world’s highest drowning deaths rates” of 502 in every 100,000 people residing in lakeside fishing communities.

In Uganda, about 90 percent of recorded drowning cases are fatalities and many go unreported.

A study conducted by Makerere University’s School of Public Health revealed that a total of 3,500 Ugandans across 74 districts drowned between January 1, 2016 and June 30, 2018. The survey further revealed that the number of deaths identified per district ranged from 30 to 287 in lakeside districts and from 47 to 123 in non-lake districts.

Government plan

During the World Drowning Day commemoration at Kaazi National Scouts camping ground in Wakiso District on July 25, State Minister for Water Aisha Ssekindi, in a speech read by State Minister for Karamoja Agnes Nandutu, said government was looking for Shs25b to implement the National Water Safety Strategic Plan for drowning prevention across the country.

According to Ms Ssekindi, their target, once money is secured, is to reduce the number of deaths by drowning by at least 25 percent by 2028.

SOME OF KEY ROUTES AND BLACKSPOTS ON LAKE VICTORIA

· Bukasa/Kisaba –Kasenyi (four hour journey, blackspot) Kalangala District

Despite being a key route for fish connecting to Entebbe it has no ferry or vessel .Travelers mainly use available five private giant wooden boats (Ebinaala)

·Bukasa/Kisaba –Katosi (Blackspot)

Has only private giant wooden boat plying the route daily

· Bukakkata – Bugoma route (blackspot)

The route has two public ferries - MV Ssese and MV Pearl. Each ferry makes   four trips daily between 7am and 6pm from Monday to Saturday, making a total of eight trips per day . Each carries on average carries 30 vehicles both light and trucks and 80 passengers. There are also private small passenger wooden boats.

· Nakiwogo – Lutoboka route

MV Kalangala is the main vessel on this route .It carries both passengers (150) and cargo ( 12 vehicles). Privately run MV NODL Victoria carries 200 people without cargo.

Also  MV Vanessa , MV Natalie and MV Brovad which are privately run also ply the same route on special arrangement.

· Nkese - Jana islands to Kasenyi route

Crucial business route for fish , charcoal ,but has only two giant wooden boats plying the route daily 

·  Bukasa Island -Buggala route

Mostly used by traders and residents seeking medical services at Kalangala Health Centre IV and other services

·  Bufumbira - Kitobo landing sites to Buggala route

Mostly used by traders and residents seeking medical services at Kalangala Health Centre IV

·  Bufumbira - Kitobo to Kasenyi route

Regularly used by traders

·    Mazinga – Lambu route

Has one giant wooden boat (Ekinaala)

·  Misonzi - Bossa - Kachanga - Sserinnya to Lutoboka then to Buggala Island route .

Mostly used by traders and residents seeking medical services at Kalangala Health Centre IV and other services

· Kavenyanja, Kibibi, Mweena landing sites to Kigungu landing site in Entebbe. (Blackspot)

Passengers use only small wooden boats

· Lwabaswa - Bukasa Jjaana Island to Kitobo landing site (Blackspot)

Passengers use only small wooden boats

.  Nakiwogo-Buwaya route Mpigi District

Available public ferry with capacity of 120 passengers ,10 cars and 20 motorcycles .The are also about 30 canoes which travelers use in case the very breaks down.

·   Katosi –Koome Island route (blackspot) Mukono District

Key business route but passengers use only private wooden boats

Compiled by Al Mahdi Ssenkabirwa, Denis Edema, Antonio Kalyango & David Sekayinga