Two fishermen drown after boat capsizes on Lake Kyoga

Buyende, Uganda: Tragedy struck Lake Kyoga on Tuesday evening after two fishermen drowned when a boat capsized during heavy rainfall and strong winds in Buyende District.

The deceased have been identified as Osina Simon alias Ali, 22, and Kirya Peter alias Hamuza, 20, a Mululi by tribe.

The incident happened at around 5:00 pm in Walumbe Village, Itamia Ward, Kidera Town Council.

According to preliminary police reports, the two were fishing on Lake Kyoga using an illegal boat when the vessel overturned following strong winds and heavy rain.

Police said another fisherman who was also operating an illegal boat nearby managed to swim to safety before alerting relatives and local residents about the accident.

With the help of police officers and community members, the bodies of the victims were later retrieved from the lake and taken to Kidera Health Centre IV mortuary for postmortem examination.

Michael Kasadha Lubega, the Busoga North Regional Police spokesperson, confirmed the incident and warned fishermen against operating unsafe vessels on the lake.

“The police cautions members of the public, particularly fishermen and lake users, against using illegal or unsafe boats, especially during adverse weather conditions, as this exposes lives to serious danger,” Lubega said.

Police said investigations into the incident are ongoing.

According to the Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 2025, water transport accidents and drowning cases remain a persistent challenge on Uganda’s major water bodies, often linked to overloading, bad weather, lack of life jackets and use of unsafe boats.