Tragedy in Kasese as S4 Student Drowns in River Nyamwamba Days Before UCE Exams

A sombre mood has engulfed Kasese District following the tragic death of a Senior Four student who drowned in River Nyamwamba just days before his final Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations.

Seventeen-year-old Innocent Ashraf Nowomugisha, a student at Kilembe Secondary School, was swept away at around 8:00 pm on Sunday. According to reports, Nowomugisha was returning to school from Kasese town after playing football with a fellow student, Davis Musanganya, a Senior Six student.

The pair attempted to cross the swollen river following heavy rainfall when disaster struck. While Musanganya managed to survive after being carried downstream near the former Kilembe Bridge, Nowomugisha was overpowered by the raging waters.

Rwenzori East Police spokesperson ASP Elly Maate confirmed that Musanganya reported the incident to the school head teacher, who immediately alerted authorities. A joint search effort by local residents and police led to the recovery of Nowomugisha’s body on Monday morning. The remains were transported to Kasese Municipal Health Centre III for a postmortem examination before being handed over to the grieving family.

The victim’s father, Abel Rwibande, expressed profound grief, noting that his son harboured bright dreams of pursuing a career in medicine and surgery. Local leaders, including Bulembia councillor Deusi Baluku, have renewed calls for the government to construct safe footbridges to prevent similar tragedies in an area prone to hazardous river crossings.

In the wake of the incident, police have issued a stern warning to the public, advising individuals to avoid attempting to cross flooded rivers, especially at night when water levels are difficult to gauge. Additional details and ongoing safety advisories can be found in the Daily Monitor report.