Prince David Wasajja and businessman Frederick Kiyimba akaFreeman are among the survivors of the recent Lake Victoria boat tragedy undergoing rehabilitation, Saturday Vision has learnt.
Noah Kiyimba, the kingdom’s information minister, said the duo need time to come to terms with what happened on the evening of November 24 when their boat capsized near Mutima Beach in Mpatta subcounty, Mukono district. It is suspected that the vessel was carrying more than 100 revellers by the time the tragedy struck, but only 26 were rescued, 32 confirmed dead, while others remained uncounted for.
“They were traumatized, so they need time to rehabilitate,”Kiyimba .
He did not disclose where the two were receiving rehabilitation services. Wasajja is a young brother of the king of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi, while Freeman is the chairperson of Buganda Twezimbe — an initiative to raise money to rebuild the Kasubi Royal Tombs.
A source said Wasajja and Freeman were asked early this week to refrain from talking to the media about the boat accident and instead let Kiyimba do the talking on their behalf.
“They gave their stories to Kiyimba, especially on how they survived the accident. Kiyimba will now be the one to speak on their behalf,”the source said.
Kiyimba confirmed that the two had recounted their ordeal to him, but denied that the kingdom had stopped them from speaking to the media.
“I am certainly not aware of that. Why should we stop them from giving out information that is important to the public? The public needs to know how they survived and take precaution,” he said.
When he was recently called to address the mourners at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Kansanga, where a requiem mass of his friend, John Bosco Nyanzi, was taking place, Wasajja said he had not gained courage to speak about what happened. In a statement read for him by a colleague, Wasajja said he was still nursing emotional and physical wounds and could not tell his story.