By Mubiru Ivan
President Yoweri Museveni has today ordered for electronic registration and monitoring of all boats following the Lake Victoria boat Cruise tragedy that left tens of revellers dead.
The KPalm boat was heading to Mutima beach in Mukono before the incident struck. So far 26 survivors have been rescued.
Posting on his Facebook Wall, the president said the boat was overloaded because whereas it had capacity for 50 people only, it had about 120 passengers on board which put revellers’ lives in grave danger. He said the boat was also unlicensed, unregistered and probably unisured.
“This is why, apart from the anti-bad fishing campaign which the UPDF has been carrying out for some months now on the lakes, the government has also ordered the electronic registration and monitoring of all the boats so that we can know who is where on the lake and why,” said Museveni.
The president has also revealed that the operators of the boat will be charged with criminal negligence and manslaughter.
“Obviously, the operators of this boat will be charged with criminal negligence and manslaughter, if they have not already been punished for their mistake by dying in the accident,” he said.
While appearing on NBS TV on Sunday morning, Deputy Army spokesperson Lt. Deo Akiiki revealed that over 100 people were on board.He said though the rescue mission is still ongoing, they don’t expect any more survivors.
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