Rescuers continued their search on Friday afternoon for the body of Julius Wasswa, 35, the last of three people who went missing after a tragic canoe accident on Lake Kijjanebarola on Thursday morning.
The accident claimed the lives of Edison Tibeijuka, 62, and his 15-year-old son, Daniel Mpulire, both residents of Kaserere Village in Rakai District. Their bodies were recovered on Friday, while Wasswa’s body remains missing.
According to eyewitnesses, the trio’s canoe was struck by a hippopotamus while they were returning from a party in Pati Village, Lwamaggwa Sub County, around 11 a.m. on Thursday. The sudden impact caused the boat to capsize, throwing the passengers into the water.
Joseph Ssemanda, a fisherman from Kaserere landing site, explained that the lake is home to many hippos, which are known to cause accidents in the area. “Hippos are everywhere in this lake, and they may have been responsible for hitting their canoe,” Ssemanda said in an interview.
William Lutembesa, the chairperson of Kaserere Village, expressed concern that the victims were not wearing life jackets and called on the government to provide free life jackets for local waterway users. “Our lake is one of the neglected ones. Passengers cannot afford life jackets, and we mainly use canoes. There isn’t even a single speedboat available to rescue people during such incidents,” Lutembesa said.
Jessica Namutaawe, a resident of Kaserere Village, recounted the harrowing moment she heard the victims’ cries for help but was unable to assist. “There were no fishermen on the lake at the time. The boat filled with water and capsized. We saw them sinking, but we couldn’t help,” she said.
Lake Kijjanebarola has been the site of several fatal hippo attacks in recent years. In 2011, four people, including a toddler, drowned after their boat was hit by a hippopotamus. In 2013, five people were killed by hippos in the neighboring Lyantonde District. The animals have also attacked communities in Kagamba, Kacheera, and Ddwaniro sub-counties in Rakai District, leading to deaths, loss of livestock, and destruction of crops, exacerbating poverty and food insecurity in the region.
