By Eye Media Uganda
Apac | Saturday, July 5, 2025
Grief and shock have engulfed residents of Acholi Inn Landing Site in Akokoro Subcounty, Apac District, following the tragic drowning of two women who were fetching drinking water from Lake Kwania.
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The deceased have been identified as Catherine Ajul, 38, a mother of four, and Sharon Aryakit, 19. The two drowned on Friday, July 4, 2025, at around 10:00am after the small canoe they were using capsized midstream.
According to eyewitnesses, the canoe had three occupants at the time of the accident. A young boy who was rowing the canoe survived by swimming to safety.
“The boy knew how to swim, but the two women didn’t. They were using a very small canoe which was overloaded,” said Mr. Keny Bombastic, a resident of the area.
Efforts to recover the bodies were spearheaded by local fishermen.
“The fishermen searched the lake for close to an hour before retrieving the bodies. They were later handed over to the families for burial,” said Mr. James Bob Odong, the LC1 Vice Chairperson of Acholi Inn Landing Site.
Residents say the tragedy has once again exposed the serious water crisis in the area.
“There’s only one borehole here serving a large population. A 20-litre jerrycan of clean water costs Shs 500, which many people cannot afford. That’s why they risk fetching water directly from the lake,” said Mr. Moses Odoc, a local resident.
The Apac District Engineer, Mr. Patrick Okwir, attributed the water scarcity to low underground water tables, which have made borehole drilling difficult in several landing sites.
“We’ve tried drilling but we often hit dry wells. However, there are ongoing plans to extend piped water to these lake shore communities to address this life-threatening challenge,” he explained.
As the families mourn their loved ones, community leaders and locals are calling on the government to urgently address the region’s safe water needs to prevent further loss of life.
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