A Lake Bunyonyi canoe accident on Tuesday left two women missing after strong winds overturned a wooden canoe near Musigwe village in Rubanda District. The incident occurred around 5 p.m. as five people traveled across the lake.
The group was returning from Kitooma in Rubaya Sub-county. They were heading to their gardens in Mugyera, Habututu Town Council. Their route passed along the shores of Butanda Sub-county when the storm struck.
Dickson Kamuhanda, a local resident, said sudden strong winds caused the canoe to flip. “They had just left Kitooma when the storm hit. The boat couldn’t withstand the wind,” he explained.
Rescuers saved three passengers. However, two women disappeared beneath the waves. Locals identified the missing as Midias Ngyenda from Rutojo Village and a woman known only as Mukotanyi from Mugyera Town Council.
By Wednesday, community members had joined search efforts to recover the bodies. The lake, while peaceful in appearance, often turns dangerous during the rainy season. Many accidents occur due to poor weather and unsafe canoes.
Residents say outdated boats and the lack of safety gear put lives at risk. Most canoes on Lake Bunyonyi are handmade and offer little protection during storms.
This isn’t the first fatal accident on the lake. In 2016, President Yoweri Museveni promised to introduce a ferry service to improve transport safety. That promise remains unfulfilled.
Kamuhanda urged the government to act. “We were promised a ferry. If it was here, this wouldn’t have happened. Our lives matter,” he said.
Many residents share that frustration. They want the government to prioritize safe water transport in remote regions. Without reliable alternatives, communities continue to depend on risky wooden canoes.
The Lake Bunyonyi canoe accident highlights the urgent need for better infrastructure. Locals hope this tragedy will finally push the government to fulfill its ferry pledge — and prevent more deaths on one of Uganda’s most beautiful, yet dangerous, lakes.
