Two men were killed by lightning in Kasese Municipality on Tuesday afternoon as a heavy downpour with strong winds hit Nyakatonzi Cell, Central Division, at around 3:30pm.
The victims were identified as Jeremiah Baluku, in his 60s, and Isaac Kihara, in his 40s. Police said Baluku was a night watchman at Kikade second-hand clothing stores, while Kihara worked as a dry cleaner at the same premises.
Rwenzori East Regional Police spokesperson ASP Elly Maate said the two had been operating from separate makeshift shelters but sought refuge together when the rain intensified.
‘Unfortunately, we have lost two great men, Baluku and Isaac Kihara, who have been killed by lightning in the rains that started at around 3:30 pm,’ ASP Maate said.
He said Baluku was believed to have hailed from Kamasasa in Karambi Sub-county, although police were still working to establish his exact place of origin.
He said the bodies had been taken to Kasese Municipal Health Centre III for postmortem examination and would later be handed over to the families for burial.
Maate urged residents and institutions to install lightning arresters on buildings as a precaution.
‘Ever since I was transferred to Rwenzori East, this is the first lightning incident we have recorded. We urge schools, hospitals, churches and other public institutions, as well as the general public, to prioritise installing lightning arresters on their buildings,’ he said.
An eyewitness, Morian Kabugho, said residents heard a loud sound shortly before discovering the two men lying unconscious.
‘We were inside the houses, and we heard a very loud and awkward sound coming from outside. On checking outside, we saw fire coming from the shelter under the back tree where Mzee Baluku sleeps,’ Kabugho said.
‘We immediately rushed there and saw the two men, Jeremiah and Isaac, down on the ground. The rain was too much, with heavy winds which you couldn’t even withstand. We are very shocked by this sudden death,’ she added.
Fred Bwambale, the former chairperson of Nyakatonzi Cell, said Baluku had lived in the area for more than 10 years.
‘Jeremiah has been living here for more than 10 years. This makeshift shelter has been his home. We have been living with him very peacefully for all these years, and we decided to hire him to watch over these Kikade stores,’ Bwambale said.
Sadayo Bwambale Kahuju, the Nyakatonzi Cell secretary, described the two as social and good-hearted people whose deaths had left a gap in the business community.
‘Whenever it rains, people should always seek shelter in safe houses. My fellow Ugandans should understand that the rainy season comes with challenges and we should always be cautious,’ Kahuju said.