NTOROKO.
One pupil has been confirmed dead and another missing after a canoe carrying 13 children from Rwangara Primary School capsized.
The incident happened on Thursday while crossing the flooded Kiyanja River in Ntoroko District .
The children, who were going home for lunch, were caught in strong currents after their overloaded canoe overturned near Kajweka Village in Kanara Sub-County.
Local residents rescued 11 of the pupils, while one body was recovered on Friday morning. Search efforts continue for the last missing child.
“The boat had 13 pupils coming from school and heading home for lunch when it capsized. We managed to rescue 11 and have since recovered one body. We are still searching for the last pupil,” said Kanara Sub-County Chairperson Friday Mugisa .
Kanara Sub-County Speaker Mr Eric Tusiime attributed the accident to the collapse of a temporary bridge last week, which had forced pupils to rely on unsafe boats.
“Since Rwangara Primary was relocated to Rwenyana IDP camp due to flooding, children from villages like Katanga have been crossing Kiyanja River by canoe. The bridge they used collapsed, and pupils had no option but to board an overloaded boat,” he said.
Local authorities had allowed pupils to use boats free of charge during school commuting hours, prioritizing them over regular passengers who pay Shs2,000. But the boats, many without engines, operate in deep waters and are frequently overcrowded.
“The major challenge is congestion, especially during lunch breaks. These boats are unsafe and not suited for transporting children,” Mr Tusiime warned.
The Rwenzori West Regional Police said in a Thursday statement that the incident occurred around 1:00 PM and confirmed that the sailor of the canoe fled and is being sought.
Mr Yasin Masereka, a parent to 6-year-old daughter, Hanifer Muhindo, was missing. “She left school at lunchtime but never reached home,” he told police.
The tragedy renewed scrutiny over Uganda’s lack of emergency response for flood-hit schools. Rwangara Primary School was relocated to the Rwenyana Internally Displaced Persons camp in 2025 after its original site was submerged by rising waters from Lake Albert in 2019.
Other schools, including Umoja and Kachwakumu Primary Schools, face similar risks. Head teachers say they have repeatedly warned government officials, with no action taken.
“It is heartbreaking to see that we have now begun losing pupils. If it weren’t for the quick response of locals, more lives might have been lost,” said Mr. Benson Ajuna, head teacher of Umoja Primary School.