Travellers on Lake Albert have been given a month to have life jackets following the disappearance of five people in a boat accident on Monday night.
The boat accident occurred near Kamagongoro landing site in Buliisa district at about 7:30pm on Monday.
Five of the six people on board are feared dead while person was rescued. Ibrahim Saiga, the Buliisa district police commander, says the boat was sailing from Sonsio landing site to Walukuba landing site at the time of the accident.
Saiga identifies those missing as brothers; Joseph Ssebale aged 18, Ziwa Batulumayo, 22, Godfrey Kiwanuka aged 21 and Peterson Mukasa 18.The four brothers had been sent by their mother, Aisha Nabukenya to collect her business merchandise from Sonsio landing site.
Nabukenya is a businesswoman dealing in fish shells at Butiaba landing site.
The other victim has only been identified as Masikin, the boat coxswain. The five were returning to Butiaba.
The survivor has only been identified as 14 year old nicknamed Mzee. He was rescued by fishermen.
The boat was loaded with 20 kilograms of fish shells. DPC Saiga blames the accident on overloading and water turbulence due to wind.
Meanwhile all travellers on Lake Albert have been given a month to buy life jackets or else they will not be allowed travel on the lake.
Vincent Makooha, the officer in charge marine on Lake Albert, says sensitization on life jacket usage is underway and enforcement will begin in a month’s time. Makooha says he has contacted traders to supply life jackets at the lake as many water users complain they have nowhere to buy them.
But Ben Ngando, a fisherman at Ssebigoro landing site, notes that though the jackets will be supplied, many still find them too expensive. A life Jacket costs between 30,000 and 50,000 shillings.
