MITYANA — Two men have died after suffocating inside a deep underground well while attempting to repair a water pump in Kakindu Sub-county, Mityana District.
The incident happened on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at about 1:00pm in Bifuma LC1, where the two men had reportedly gone to fix a water pump at the home of Bamulanzeeki Mohammed.
Police identified one of the deceased only as Rasta, while the other was identified as Brown Rogers.
Wamala Regional Police spokesperson Lameck Kigozi said the two entered the well after Rasta, who had gone down first, reportedly developed breathing difficulties due to inadequate oxygen.
According to Kigozi, the second man followed Rasta into the well in an attempt to rescue him, but he too was overcome by the lack of oxygen.
Both men died before they could be brought out.
The incident was reported to Kakindu Police Station by Bifuma village chairman James Ssemango.
Police from Kakindu and Mityana, together with the Wamala Region Fire and Rescue Services team commanded by AIP Sabala Tonny, responded to the scene.
The rescue team managed to retrieve the bodies from the deep well, after which they were taken to Mityana General Hospital for postmortem examinations.
Police said the full identities of the deceased remain unclear because their employer had not presented them to local leaders for profiling before they started work in the area.
Kigozi urged people who bring workers into communities to ensure they are properly introduced to local leaders, saying this can help authorities know who is living and working in their villages and why they are there.
Police have opened inquiries into the incident.
