The Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) has confirmed the tragic death of Engineer Gershom Rwakasanga, whose body was recovered from the River Nile following a drowning incident at Busowoko Falls in Jinja on October 11.
Rwakasanga, who served as Manager for Terminals Development & Operations at the Jinja Storage Terminal, reportedly slipped and fell into the river during a routine site visit. The company said coordinated efforts by police, emergency teams, and members of the local community successfully led to the recovery of his body.
“It is with deep sorrow that we inform the public that the body of our colleague, Eng. Gershom Rwakasanga, has been recovered from the River Nile following the tragic incident at Busowoko Falls,” UNOC stated. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and all who worked closely with him. Our collective thoughts and prayers are with all affected by this loss.”
Funeral arrangements for the late engineer will be announced later, according to the company.
Uganda’s Rising Drowning Crisis
Rwakasanga’s death highlights a growing public safety issue in Uganda — drowning incidents across rivers and lakes. According to the Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 2023, at least 138 people drowned between January and December 2023, while 243 bodies were retrieved from various water bodies nationwide.
However, safety experts warn that these numbers may represent only a fraction of the real total, as many community-level drownings go unrecorded. A joint study by the Ministry of Works and Transport, Makerere University School of Public Health, and the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Health Program estimates that around 2,940 Ugandans die from drowning annually — an equivalent of 8.5 deaths per 100,000 people.
Most Affected Areas
Over 70 percent of drowning incidents occur in lakeside districts such as Jinja, Mayuge, Masaka, Serere, and Rakai, where fishing and water transport dominate livelihoods. Victims are primarily young men in their 20s, often lacking swimming skills, life jackets, and emergency rescue services.
The death of Eng. Rwakasanga has renewed calls for stronger enforcement of water safety measures, public awareness campaigns, and the establishment of rapid-response rescue units to prevent further tragedies on Uganda’s waterways.
