Africa-Press – Uganda. Police and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in Busoga sub-region have dismissed as “fake news” the reports of mass drowning in Njeru, Buikwe District, warning whoever is propagating such information.
Social networking sites have been awash with reports that “more than 30 people” are feared to have drowned over the weekend after revellers who were partying at Nile Discovery past the curfew time took to the waters upon seeing the police patrol vehicle.
It is being alleged from multiple WhatsApp groups that when the police patrol car pulled over, everyone at the scene ran and dived into the water to swim to safety, but because of the bad Sunday weather, “many youths” ended up drowning.
The Kiira Regional Police Spokesperson, Mr James Mubi, on Tuesday out-rightly dismissed the reports as “fake news”, while Ms Hellen Butoto from Ssezibwa Region where the alleged mass drowning is said to have taken place, said they are hunting for whoever is spreading such news.
“This [Tuesday] morning a journalist rang me saying over 20 people had drowned and I told him that it wasn’t true. Nobody died when police were enforcing curfew, so where are the dead bodies? I am going to call this guy who is circulating fake news. He rang me and I told him to wait; I then rang the DPC and went to the scene and there is nothing like dead bodies and we have not registered any drowning in Njeru,” Ms Butoto said.
Lt Jude Wandera, the Jinja Zonal UPDF Spokesman, said they have not conducted any such rescue operation there. “The UPDF is not in any operation of that kind and we have not received such reports,” he said.
Some of the “deceased” are said to be residents of Nile Village [UEB Quarters], including a one Jamondi, who reportedly lost his firstborn and the body was allegedly retrieved on Monday; but Ms Butoto said: “Maybe they are faking their own death.”
A representative of Nile Discovery, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the development as “empty noise”.
“What you are saying is news to me; nothing of that kind happened. The UPDF borders the place and I am sure they will also tell you that nothing happened,” she said.
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