By Francis Mugerwa
Forty five people drowned in Lake Albert on Christmas day as they traveled to participate in a friendly football match.
Footballers and fans from Kaweibanda village in Buliisa district were travelling by water to Runga landing site in Hoima district for a football match to crown their Christmas day festivities.
They were drumming, singing blowing trumpets and whistles but the excitement was short-lived when the boat capsized.
The canoe in which they were traveling was reportedly moving about 100 meters away from the Lake Albert shoreline.
Buliisa district Police Commander John Rutagira says the boat was overloaded and according to eyewitnesses, most of the passengers sat on one side of the boat and it lost balance.
He said they have also received information that the coxswain and most of the passengers were drunk at the time of the accident.
The Buliisa district chairperson for Referees Godfrey Opira who witnessed the accident said all occupants of the boat did not have
life jackets.
According to police Nine people have been confirmed dead and 21 others are still missing
On Friday last week 10 people died after a boat capsized at Isamba on Lake Victoria.
