Police in Rakai District are investigating how a mother and her seven-year-old daughter died in a community spring well on Sunday evening.
The tragic incident occurred at Kyaluwakula Village, Lwanda sub-county, where Majorine Nanyange, 7, and her mother Olivia Nakibirango, 21, drowned.
According to locals, Nanyange had gone with her colleagues to fetch water. She drowned in the process, and the children returned home to report that she had died in the water source.
Preliminary police investigations indicate that Nakibirango then entered the well in an attempt to rescue her daughter, but she too drowned.
Mr Gabriel Kakulu, the village chairperson, has warned parents against sending children to open water sources alone.
‘I warn parents against sending children alone to water sources, they should always be under the watch of older people if they are to fetch water from spring wells,’ he said.
He said a farmer who was attending to his tomato garden near the well tried to rescue the pair but arrived too late.
‘The farmer tried to save the duo, but he failed, and by the time other people came, they could also not do much, but to call police who managed to get the bodies out of the well. This should serve as an eye-opener to parents to stop sending children alone to open water sources to avoid such shocking incidents,’ he added.
Southern Regional Police Spokesperson, Twaha Kasirye, confirmed the incident.
‘Police have removed the bodies and handed them to relatives for burial,’ he said.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing.