UCU student drowns in swimming pool at a hangout in Mukono

Police in Mukono District in central Uganda are investigating circumstances under which a third year student of Uganda Christian University (UCU) drowned in a swimming pool.

Nathan Kamazi, who has been pursuing a Bachelor of Human Rights, Peace & Humanitarian Interventions drowned in a swimming yesterday pool at Nyerere Bugujju centre, a hangout in Mukono municipality, where he had gone to have fun with his friends.

Mr Derrick Mukisa, one of the students at the university said Kamanzi left campus in company of four other students saying they were going out to have fun. However, they later got reports that he had drowned.

“Nathan has been a social and friendly person. He liked moving out with friends,” Mukisa said.

Mr Daniel Kamanyire, a staff at Nyerere Bugujju centre said when Kamazi and his colleagues arrived, they first ordered for drinks before paying for the swimming pool and a soccer game.

“After paying, they first went for soccer and then came to the swimming pool. Moments after they started swimming, Nathan disappeared from his colleagues. That’s when the attendant checked only to learn that he had drowned,” Mr Kamanyire said.

According to him, Kamazi was retrieved from the swimming pool, given first aid but he was already dead.

“That’s when UCU management and police were tipped,” Mr Kamanyire said.

UCU communications and marketing officer, Mr Walter Washika said they learnt of Kamazi’s death from a swimming pool attendant who contacted them.

“After the sad news, our ambulance was sent to pick him, rushed him to UCU clinic and after to Namirembe Church of Uganda hospital in Mukono,” he said.

However, he said by the time Kamazi was taken for examination, he was already dead.

This is not the first UCU student to die in a swimming pool at a hangout.

In April 2016, Victor Mbuga, 22 drowned in a swimming pool at one of the hangouts in Mbarara town.

Mbuga was found floating dead in tycoon Fred Kafooko’s Big Fun Entertainment Centre swimming pool in Boma.