A 42-year-old farmer on Thursday drowned in a water pond in Kayirikiti village, Bukomansimbi District in an attempt to draw water for irrigation.
Frank Kafeero, died when he had gone to irrigate his eggplant and tomato gardens in response to the prevalent dry spell in the area. His body was found in a water pond next to his gardens.
Saul Mugagga, the Kigangazzi Sub County councilor representing Busagula parish says that the deceased could have drowned after sliding off the wooden barriers that were suspended onto the edges to provide support for people as they dip the jerry cans into the pond.
According to the residents, the pond which is about 15 feet deep was initially a clay quarry created by brick makers, before it eventually turned into a seasonal water pond that usually supports the community when water is scarce in the area.
Mugagga indicates that apparently, the pond has a high accumulation of mud and water weeds grown around, which could have trapped Kafeero and suffocated him to death when he fell into the water.
Yasin Kawuma, the resident of Kigangazzi village says the Police helped to retrieve the body and took it for postmortem.
Kawuma says that the pond is one of the few remaining water sources in the area, arguing that the deceased was probably rushing to draw water before other community members who rely on the same pond.
Kawuma explains that the area has been hit hard by the long drought which has led to an acute scarcity of water for both domestic consumption and irrigation. He says that this is the second person to drown in a water pond in the area, in a space of one month.
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