The Uganda Police marine officers are set to go for a refresher course following the drowning of police marine officer, Sgt Godfrey Mwonda, in last Saturday’s floods in Kampala.
The directive for refresher course according to Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga, has been issued by the Inspector General of Police Ochola Martin who says marine officers should be re-trained on how to conduct rescue missions in a safe way.
The officer drowned as he tried to rescue a one Ssekitooleko who had been washed by fast running water in the Saturday morning heavy downpour. Ssekitoleko's body was later found in Mbuya Katoogo swamp, which is often used as a washing bay.
He is said to have been one of the most experienced divers in the force, with a 10 years’ experience and his death was a huge blow to the unit as it takes a lot of resources to train a mine officer.
Mwonda was trapped in a hole during the rescue operation and suffocated to death according to police report.
The police mouthpiece Enanga says that he was pulled from the water after several minutes and rushed to Kitintale Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
A number of people have been washed aaway and killed in the Kampala floods which Conti us to devastate the city and its surbubs. Another woman was killed after falling into an open manhole that was covered by water on Jinja road.
