By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
ENTEBBE
A 29-year-old man lost his life after he drowned at Lutembe Beach on Valentine’s Day.
The incident occurred on February 14, 2026, at about 4:00pm at Lutembe Beach in Bweya Ward, Wakiso District.
The deceased has been identified as Obadiah Arinaitwe, a resident of Lugoba in Kawempe Division, Kampala. It is alleged that Obadia drowned after moving into a deeper section of the water while swimming with colleagues.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Public Relations Officer ASP Luke Owoyesigyire said officers from Kajjansi Police Station responded to the scene, recorded statements from witnesses and conveyed the body to Mulago National Referral Hospital for a postmortem examination.
Police have since directed the beach management to clearly demarcate deep-water areas and to coordinate with security agencies whenever large crowds are expected.
“We urge members of the public to observe safety precautions while swimming,” Owoyesigyire said.
The tragedy comes just days after a student of Civil Engineering at Uganda Christian University (UCU), Muhoozi Edgar Tumwebaze drowned in a swimming pool.
“It is with deep sorrow to announce the passing of Muhoozi Edgar Tumwebaze, a student in the Faculty of Civil Engineering. He tragically drowned while swimming and was rushed to C-Care Hospital, but sadly could not be saved,” the guild said.
Uganda continues to grapple with a high burden of drowning deaths. Estimates indicate that between 3,000 and 3,500 people die from drowning annually, an average of about nine deaths per day. Children under the age of 14 account for at least one in four drowning fatalities, making them particularly vulnerable.
High-risk areas include Lakes Victoria, Albert and Kyoga, where factors such as unsafe fishing practices, lack of life jackets and limited swimming skills contribute to fatalities. Experts warn that drowning remains underreported and is an escalating but often overlooked public health crisis.
