A 13-year-old girl tragically drowned in Lake Bunyonyi on Saturday evening while fetching water.
Monica Musinguzi, a primary six student at Kagorogoro Primary School and the daughter of Edward Ndyomugyenyi, a resident of Kifurugutu in Kagorogoro village, Butanda sub-county, Kabale district, lost her life around 7:00 PM.
According to Ndyomugyenyi, Monica left home in good spirits to collect water for household use. Unfortunately, as she tried to lift a 20-litre jerrycan from the lake, she slipped and fell into the water.
Ndyomugyenyi stated that despite their best efforts, they were unable to rescue her due to the lake’s considerable depth.
Dickson Kamuhanda, a local parish councillor, expressed sorrow over the incident, noting that it highlights the need for safer water sources in the area.
He suggested that if the community had access to a gravity flow water scheme, such tragic accidents could be avoided.
At the time of reporting, locals were working to recover Monica’s body from the lake.
Lake Bunyonyi, situated between the Rubanda and Kabale districts, is known for being the second deepest lake in Africa, with an average depth of about one kilometre. Unfortunately, incidents of drowning are not uncommon in this picturesque lake.
