Kabale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Police Force has finally established a marine detachment on Lake Bunyonyi in South Western Uganda. Located in Kabale and Rubanda district, the 900-meter deep lake is the second deepest in Africa and one of the top tourism revenue earners for Uganda.
Local authorities led by the former Rubanda district LC 5 chairman Kenneth Jogo Biryabarema and his former Kabale counterpart Patrick Besigye Keihwa have been pushing for the permanent deployment of Marine police on the lake to stem cases of drowning.
The leaders argued that whenever there would be an accident on the lake, it would take police a long time to ferry divers from Kampala to come and search for the victims. This would prompt local divers to jump into the lake to search for victims without any protective gear.
Now, Superintendent of Police (SP), Francis Tabu, the Marines Operations Officer attached to the Police Headquarters told our reporter early this week that a marine detachment has been established at Kyabahinga village, Kagarama parish in Bubare sub-county, Rubanda district near Natures Camp Site.
He said that they hae deployed five police officers from the Marines Unit to man security on the lake. He says that the detachment is under the command of Assistant Inspector of Police Stephen Sanyu adding that, the personnel have been equipped with a speed boat to ease transport on the lake.
Elly Maate, the Kigezi region police spokesperson says that the officers are experienced and will carry out full-time safety and rescue operations on the lake as well as routine sensitization of the masses.
Diaz Drake Oweyesigyire, the Hamuhambo town council LC V councillor and a tour guide on Lake Bunyonyi says the deployment of marine police on the lake was long overdue. Owoyesigyire says that the presence of the Marine unit will now save victims who have been dying drowning because of lack of skilled personnel to save them.
In October 2020, Amon Turyatemba, a student from Nyabikoni secondary school drowned in Lake Bunyonyi while on a tour. In August 2020, five residents of Karambo village in Muko sub-county in Rubanda district drowned in the same lake.
On August 11th, 2020, three people including John Bosco Tumuheki, Felix Arineitwe and Fricano Turyahikayo, all residents of Katetenkora village in Nyamiryango Parish, Butanda sub county in Kabale district drowned when their canoe capsized on the same lake. In June 2020, two people from Muko sub-county in Rubanda district drowned in the same lake while traveling in a canoe.
*****
URN
The post Police establishes marine detachment on Lake Bunyonyi appeared first on The Independent Uganda:.
from The Independent Uganda: https://ift.tt/34HnMIO
0 Comments