A three-year-old boy tragically lost his life after falling into a 40 feet deep pit filled with waste from a local gin brewing facility in Sofia ‘B’ Village, Busia Town Council, Busia District, Uganda. The incident occurred on September 23, 2024, when Samson Nyongesa, accompanied by his mother, was visiting his grandmother in the village.
According to reports, Samson strayed from his grandmother’s compound and wandered to a neighboring house where the tragic accident took place. It is believed that he stepped on a weakened manhole cover, leading to his fall into the lagoon used for discarding waste from the production of waragi, a locally brewed potent gin.
Residents were alerted by cries for help, but their rescue efforts were hampered by the depth of the pit and the presence of water. Police and residents worked together to empty the manhole using basins, eventually recovering Samson’s body. The body was transported to Busia Health Centre IV for an autopsy.
Local authorities have expressed concern over the incident, highlighting potential negligence and lax safety standards among the area’s numerous waragi brewing facilities. Aisha Kalombo, the Eastern Division chairperson, stated that the authorities will be cracking down on and shutting down all waragi brewing outlets in the division that fail to comply with the established safety regulations. The police have also initiated investigations into the incident to determine the extent of negligence involved.
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This tragic incident has shocked the community, raising questions about the safety measures in place at local brewing facilities. The upcoming crackdown on unregulated waragi production underscores the need for stricter enforcement of safety standards to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
