A 22-year-old herdsman drowned in a sugar factory water reservoir in eastern Uganda on Sunday while attempting to rescue two goats, police said.

The incident occurred at the Ssezibwa Sugar Factory reservoir in Bunyagira Village, Bbibo Parish, Kawolo Division, Lugazi Municipality, Buikwe District, at about 2:30 pm, according to police.

The victim, identified as Peter Kayega, had been grazing goats with a friend known only as Ssemakula when they realised two animals were missing.

"Upon searching, they found the goats had fallen into the reservoir and the deceased dived into the water to rescue them," said Ssezibwa police spokesperson Hellen Butoto.

Kayega managed to save one goat, but struggled while attempting to rescue the second.

"He called for help, and his friend rushed to assist, but it was too late. He sank," Butoto said.

Ssemakula immediately informed Kayega’s employer, Reagan Mbowa, who reported the incident to Lugazi police.

Officers retrieved the body and took it to Kawolo General Hospital mortuary for a postmortem examination.

Butoto urged communities near factories to take safety precautions and warned residents against accessing such facilities without protective measures.

She also called on factory owners to fence off hazardous areas to prevent similar accidents.

In a separate incident the same day, two primary school pupils drowned in Lake Victoria at Namatu landing site in Budaya sub-county, Bugiri District, local officials said.

The victims, pupils of Namatu Primary School, had gone to bathe on the lakeshore when they were overpowered by the water, according to the local council chairperson, Kasozi M. Nduba.

"I have always been talking to parents about not letting children go to the lake without an elder to oversee their activities," Nduba said, adding: "But they have not taken it seriously."

The bodies were recovered and handed over to relatives for burial.