17-year-old pupil drowns in flooded river in Kasese
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Daily Monitor
Innocent Ashraf Nowomugisha, a 17-year-old pupil at Kilembe Secondary School, drowned in the Nyamwamba River near Kasese after being swept away by floodwaters on 25 October. His body was found the next day; another pupil crossing the river with him survived, reports the Daily Monitor.
Innocent Ashraf Nowomugisha, a 17-year-old pupil at Kilembe Secondary School, drowned in the Nyamwamba River in Kasese on Sunday evening after being swept away by floodwaters as he was returning to his school, according to the Daily Monitor. His body was found by residents and police at around 11.45am on Monday 26 October, then taken to Kasese Municipal Health Centre for a post-mortem examination.
The pupil was crossing the river at around 8pm with Davis Musanganya, a Senior Six pupil, after heavy rain. Musanganya survived after being swept downstream near the old Kilembe Bridge and alerted the school headteacher, Christopher Ndyanabo, according to the Daily Monitor.
Rwenzori East police spokesperson Elly Maate urged residents not to cross rivers at night or during rain. Kasese district councillor Deusi Baluku called on the government to build footbridges, saying another bridge could have prevented the tragedy.
The Nyamwamba River has been the site of several drownings, including those of a 17-year-old pupil in August 2021 and 16-year-old Christine Chachimwa in May 2026. The death occurred days before the pupil’s final UCE paper; he had hoped to study medicine and surgery.
