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"Many of the dead could have been saved had they had basic swimming skills," Okae said.
PIC: Lawrence Okae, National President of the UPC
BOAT ACCIDENT
After the boat capsizing tragedy on Lake Victoria last Sunday, the Ugandan People's Congress (UPC) called on the government to provide mandatory swimming techniques for people who frequently use waterways to travel.
The boat, with an estimated number of more than 120 party-goers celebrating a council, sank a short distance off the shore off Mutima Beach in Mukono District.
With 32 bodies found and 26 people saved, the police have since attributed the accident to overload and bad weather.
President Yoweri Museveni, who expressed his condolences to the victims shortly after the tragedy, announced that the government would set up a new electronic registration and tracking system for all boats to prevent such incidents.
However, according to UPC, swimming skills would minimize the number of people killed in boat accidents because they are able to swim up to safety while they wait for rescue interventions.
Lawrence Okae, national president of the UPC, spoke to reporters yesterday at the party's weekly press conference at Uganda House, headquartered in Kampala.
As we console bereaved families and friends at this difficult time, we need to learn from these incidents, keeping in mind that prevention is better than cure. "
"Many of the dead could have been saved had they had basic swimming skills," Okae said.
UPC warned against compromising security measures, insisting that the government should jealously protect itself from the lives of its people.
According to the Department of Public Works and Transportation, between 7 and 8 million people sail each year on waters connecting different landing sites to the mainland.
However, the ministry admits to security concerns, with more than 90% of the vessels on Ugandan waters traditionally built by fishermen and with imperfections.
Okae appealed: "Passengers, whether on land or inland waterways, must take into account safety measures such as the use of approved lifejackets, safety belts, among others, and know how to use them in case of danger.
He suggested not to overburden and that a team of inspectors should always be ready to do their job to enforce the security measures.
The party wants the government to carry out audits on road and water accidents in order to propose effective mitigation measures.
UPC has also called for reforms in the laws that regulate the inland water transport sector in order to effectively address the legal gaps in resolving the industry's outstanding issues.
The laws governing water transport in Uganda included the 1904 Vessel Registration Act and the 1939 Control of Inland Water Transport Act.
Lake Victoria, shared by the three countries of East Africa, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, has been the scene of multiple boat accidents in recent years.
More than 200 people died on the lake last September, when an overcrowded ferry capsized near the Tanzanian coast.
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