Africa-Press – Uganda. An engineer working at Lira-based Water and Sanitation Development Facility-North (WSDF-N) under the Ministry of Water and Environment has died after being swept away by floodwaters on Alebtong-Otuke road.
Noah Otim’s body was recovered on Friday, about three kilometres from Kulu-Aali swamp crossing where he was swept away by the water on Thursday.
Otim’s uncle, Tonny Okello, said the unfortunate incident happened at around 7pm when his 26-year-old nephew was returning from Agago District on Friday.
“On Thursday at around 7pm, while returning from Agago District, he found it had rained heavily in Apala Sub-county [Alebtong District] and the water crossed Kulu-Aali swamp crossing,” he said on Saturday.
Whenever Kulu-Aali swamp crossing is flooded, some locals carry road users on the shoulders at a cost of Shs1,000. The same amount is also charged for motorcycles and bicycles, this publication has learnt.
But when asked to produce Shs1000, Otim who was riding a motorcycle is reported to have indicated that he was capable of wading through the fast-flowing water. Unfortunately, as he tried to wade through the water, he fell and he was immediately swept away by the fast-flowing. His body was found a day later.
“When we recovered the body on Friday, the water from that swamp crossing was flowing normally,” Mr Okello added.
“The motorcycle was recovered from a distance of three metres away from where the water swept him from,” Mr Okello said.
Ms Brenda Akao, the spokesperson of Water and Sanitation Development Facility-North, regretted the incident.
However, she said the deceased had not gone to do any Ministry of Water and Environment related activity.
“We do not know what he had gone there to do. Even some of his close friends do not know what exactly happened,” she said.
According to Ms Akao, the deceased finished his exams at Uganda Management Institute (UMI) – Gulu campus on Monday.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
