Members of parliament have blamed security agencies for the tragedy that killed 32 people on lake Victoria a over the weekend. Legiators told the press at parliament this morning, that police should have insisted on the public order management act bwfore allowing such a huge group of people on one boat.
Western youth MP Mwine Mpaka says there are stories of people on the killer boat overpowering the UPDF Marines who attempted to stop them due to overloading. He says these should have sought manpower and managed the situation before it was too late.
They also poked holes in authorities for not carefully following up for passenger manifests of every boat that goes on water. This would have helped with identifying the people on this fateful boat, they argued.
This morning, the head of operations in Uganda police force Ashman Mugenyi explained that such is not a police job, but their role is to patrol the waters.
Now, some MPs representing Island districts want government to amend the law governing maritime in the country to avoid such a tragedy from happening again.
Currently, the could try runs o the maritime transport law that was enacted in December 1905 while the traffic, road and safety act was enacted in 1998.
Accordong to Carol Nanyondo, the Kyamuswa County Member of Parliament, well as the Marine Insurance act was enacted in 2002, it doesn't affect people with canoes yet they are mostly used on Lake Victoria.
She.now asks that the laws governing maritime law be amended to enact stringent measures that would help improve safety and security of vessels operating on different Islands.
Robert Ndugwa Migadde, the Buvuma county MP argues that the ever increasing traffic on the Kiyindi - Buvuma route warrants government to purchase a better vessel for the people in Buvum, as the one operating the route is not only dilapidated but also overloads because of the huge volume of travelers.
While the boat owners, Templar Bisaso and his wife died on the boat, the captain is yet to be located dead or alive. Police and UPDF Marines are still deployed on the lake, with help of fishermen to retrieve more bodies.
The authorities are also expected to retrieve the boat to the horses to check for more bodies under the wreckage.
