The search for the two missing tourists who drowned on River Nile near Chobe Safari Lodge entered the ninth day today with the addition of witchdoctors onto the team.
The decision follows eight days of fruitless search for Cliff Kizito, the proprietor of Cliff Edge Uganda Tours and Julia Namutebi, of Access Tours. The two were among the six people who drowned on a boat after they took a ride from Chobe Safari Lodge where they were being hosted by the proprietors of the facility.
While four of the tourists were rescued, the two have not been traced since Saturday April 9 when their boat capsized.
Moses Okello, the Nwoya District Police Commander, who has been leading a team of marines during the search, says the decision was made by relatives of one of the missing tourists. He however said other relatives had given up hope and begun to leave the lodge where a few people have still remained with the hope that the search could yield fruits.
Okello said this is the second time the desperate relatives were calling in witchdoctors after another unsuccessful attempt last week. He explained that the witches were performing rituals with claims that it would prompt the spirits to disclose the whereabouts of the missing persons.
The police chief said they could not block the witchdoctors for fear of disappointing the relatives who are desperate to recover their lost family member. It was however not possible to speak to any of the relatives of the missing persons.
Yesterday, the Sunday Vision newspaper published an account by Richard Tooro of Kabarole Tours and Safaris detailing how he spent eight hours in the River Nile water before he was eventually rescued by a team from Uganda Wild Life Authority at 1:15am. Tooro, one of the four survivors was on the same fateful ride.
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