Pallisa, Uganda: A sudden storm on Lake Nyaguo in Kinomu village, Agule Sub-county, has claimed the life of James Okanya, a 20-year-old Senior Six student of Kanabatiko Secondary School, plunging his family and community into grief.
Okanya drowned on Wednesday evening after the fishing boat he was using capsized during a violent storm. According to family members, the student had gone out fishing in a bid to secure supper for his household.
His father, John Charles Otim, said Okanya left home in high spirits, telling his mother he would return shortly. “He left happily, telling his mother that if he caught even five fish, it would be enough for the family,” Otim said.
“We were preparing to go shopping so that he could report back to school on Monday. It is painful that he went fishing for supper and never returned.”
Local leaders described Okanya as an ambitious young man who had resisted the lure of fishing as a full-time occupation, a common trend that has seen many boys in the area drop out of school at an early age.
Gideon Omijo, the councillor-elect for Agule County and a neighbour to the family, said the death was a huge loss to the community.
“Many boys here abandon school in primary and take up fishing, but Okanya vowed to be different. He was determined to complete his education,” Omijo said, adding that some parents now choose to relocate their children to keep them away from fishing activities.
Calls for tougher lake safety measures
The tragedy has renewed calls for stricter safety regulations on fishing communities along Lake Nyaguo and other water bodies in Pallisa District.
The Assistant Resident District Commissioner, Patrick Lious Okia, urged fishermen to take weather warnings seriously and adopt basic safety measures.
“Lakes are a natural gift, but people must take precautions,” Okia said. “The helmet of life on water is a life jacket, yet very few bother to acquire one.”
He revealed that Pallisa District has recorded 15 drowning incidents since 2024, prompting his office to push for stronger enforcement.
“As the RDC’s office, which oversees security, we are going to write to the district speaker so that safety measures are prioritised on the council order paper,” Okia said. “If it means making life jackets compulsory through a bylaw, let it be done, to back up existing ministry regulations against unsafe boats and fishing gear.”
Okia added that community sensitisation campaigns would be rolled out jointly with the district production department across all lake-belt areas.
What Leaders say
Responding to the concerns, the Pallisa District Deputy Speaker, Joshua Omugit, said the matter would be formally tabled when the district council sits next week.
“We have received the concerns. Council is sitting next week, and the issue will be presented after the District Production Officer, Michael Okwalinga, and his team finalise the draft in line with the law,” Omugit said.
While authorities attributed the incident to harsh weather conditions and lack of safety measures, sections of the local community have linked the tragedy to witchcraft, a belief still common in some rural areas following sudden deaths.
As the family prepares to lay Okanya to rest, his death has reignited debate over youth safety, education and livelihoods in fishing communities across eastern Uganda.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
