Mother and Daughter Perish in Rakai Well Tragedy

A disturbing incident has left residents of Kyaluwakula Village, Lwanda sub-county in Rakai District, in shock after a mother and her young daughter drowned in a local spring well on Sunday evening.

The victims have been identified as 7-year-old Majorine Nanyange and her mother, 21-year-old Olivia Nakibirango.

According to eyewitness accounts, Nanyange had gone to the well with other children to collect water. During the process, she fell into the well, leading to her drowning. The other children returned home to deliver the tragic news.

In a desperate attempt to save her daughter, Nakibirango entered the well herself. Tragically, she also failed to survive, and drowned while trying to rescue her child.

Mr. Gabriel Kakulu, the village chairperson, has issued a stern warning to parents, emphasizing the dangers of allowing young children to fetch water from open sources unsupervised. “I warn parents against sending children alone to water sources; they should always be under the watch of older people if they are to fetch water from spring wells,” he stated.

A nearby farmer attempted a rescue when he heard the commotion but arrived too late to save the mother and daughter. Police were called to the scene and successfully retrieved the bodies from the well.

Police spokesperson for the Southern Region, Twaha Kasirye, confirmed the incident and stated that the bodies have been handed over to the family for burial. Investigations into the exact circumstances of the drowning are ongoing.

This incident serves as a grave reminder of the risks associated with open water sources and the importance of adult supervision for children.

Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/mother-7-year-old-daughter-drown-in-rakai-well-5553520