All smiles as Island school gets Shs115m boat after NTV story

The Commissioner General of Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Mr John Musinguzi Rujoki, handed over the boat to the school administration at a ceremony held at Bunyonyi Safaris Hotel at Lake Bunyonyi  last Friday. 

The function was attended by the Kabale chairperson, Mr Nelson Nshangabasheija, and the State minister for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Mr David Bahati, among other officials.

“We started mobilising money for the purchase of this modern engine boat in 2019 after watching a story on NTV that showed how pupils of Bwaama Primary School were suffering to access the school premises. I want to thank our partners that raised Shs73 million while URA made a top up of Shs42 million. I want to encourage the Ugandan population to continue paying taxes because they are not only supporting national infrastructure but also doing such corporate social responsibility,” Mr Rujoki said.

He appealed to pupils who encounter hardships as they pursue education in rural communities not to give up.
“Having one primary school teacher for primary four, five, six, and seven did not stop me from excelling in academics, though I worked hard. Work hard and excel in your academics to attain a bright future,” Mr Rujoki said as he addressed a few pupils and parents who turned up for the ceremony.

Mr Bahati, who was the chief guest, donated Shs10 million for the maintenance of the boat and purchase of fuel.
He revealed that government plans to tarmack Kabale-Lake Bunyonyi road and establish two ferries on the lake.

“Government has secured $98 million for the tarmacking of Kabale-Lake Bunyonyi road and the establishment of two ferries. I hope by January, the construction of the road will commence,” Mr Bahati, who also doubles as the MP for Ndorwa West, where Bwaama Primary School is located, said.

The head teacher of the school, Mr Robert Kanyoma, said the route chat for the engine boat that details where pupils will be picked up and dropped off from had been designed and would be implemented once the schools reopen.

Bruce Mucunguzi, Clever Akandinda, Brenda Kyokushaba, Desire Ainebyoona, and NaumeAkansasira, all pupils of Bwaama Primary School thanked URA and its partners for the donation.

“In case of bad weather, I used to absent myself from school for fear of drowning. Now that we have received a modern boat, I will never miss any lessons,”  Mucunguzi, a Primary Five pupil, said. 

The police officer-in-charge of Marine Police on Lake Bunyonyi, Mr Stephen Sanyu, said they have recorded five cases of people drowning and dying in the lake in the last four months while about 10 were rescued in the same period.

“The main causes of fatal accidents on Lake Bunyonyi are overloading of dugout canoes and strong water waves,”  he said.