Reflection: The sinking of MV Templar in Lake Victoria and why slay queens kings share the blame for loss of lives
It’s now a week when a boat carrying over 120 revelers; including its captain and owner, capsized in Lake Victoria leaving over 30 dead. The ill-fated MV Templar that belonged to a one Bisasse Templar, also a victim of the accident, submerged in water after it developed mechanical setbacks, according to suvivors’ narrations. speculations have been raised about the accident and how fatalities could have been reduced.
The tragic accident happened Saturday evening left the nation in grief and shock as images of lifeless bodies lying ashore kept popping up on various social media platforms, prompting government to dispatch police and military emergency teams to save any survivors on that Saturday evening.
The dead, mostly young women and men; barely in the prime of their lives served as a stark reminder of how fragile human life can be and how man could be no more in just a second irrespective of age, size or class. This also caused many to question the safety measures that regulate boats on Uganda’s water bodies. Government has promised to usher in stringent measures to avoid future accidents.
The analysis of the fate of MV Templar on that weekend has apportioned blame to government, the deceased owner, the captain and discovered that everyone had a part to play in the party goers who seemed uncontrollable while on the boat that provided loud music and alcoholic drinks as shown by video clips on social media and narrated by survivors.
From the footage provided by a number of survivors many individuals, mostly women aboard the boat were not properly geared up for a trip that the survivors the accident will live to remember. The video footages show only a handful of the passengers had bothered to wear life jackets. They were vulnerable to the lake and all its dangers but many were more concerned with the drinking and dancing or “slaying” in today’s common fashion and entertainment language.
The term ‘slay’ was first coined in 2016 by Beyonce Knowles, an American mega star when she released her lemonade album. Although highly insensitive under such circumstances, the term ‘slay’ does not carry its conventional meaning but rather refers to an individual ‘who wishes to choke everyone else with how beautiful and cool they are’ according to the urban dictionary. It is also important to note that ‘slaying’ and social media work hand in hand, hence the numerous videos that were taken aboard the boat just before it capsized. Some victims had sent them to their relatives.
Young, beautiful and dressed to the nines it was clear none of the slayers wished to cover up their stylishly adorned ensembles with some of them wearing the life-jackets haphazardly. The videos taken on the boat prior to the accident showed a reckless and indifferent attitude amongst the partiers who showed little or no concern for their own lives; as they disregarded all safety measures, focusing more on the drink and dance and oblivious of the impending doom on the lake.
“People were crying for Iryn Namubiru in my presence, because no one could recognize me. My wig, shoes, make-up had all gone.” said Iryn Namubirru, a local artiste who survived the accident, courtesy of a university student Brian Masole. A veteran slay queen herself, Namubiru has been a major reference for the ongoing investigations and inquires in the sinking of the party boat. Her details have shed a lot of light on what caused the incident and how it could have been avoided.
One can safely say Ugandans in general have a laxity towards any type or form of safety measures usually imposed upon them; be it a safety seat belt or helmet. A problem created or influenced by the social media and technological era. Nowadays people are more concerned with their appearance than they do their own life. A fitting scenario would be the adrenaline junkies that scale some of the highest buildings in the world only to take a picture, or a tourist who gets dangerously close to wild animals for selfie, the list is endless when it comes to the antics of those desperate for a few likes from friends, relatives and strangers.
Back to the accident, one can say that fashion won over safety; the need to look good rather than feel safe. By refusing or daring to go on board without life jackets some of these revelers unknowingly signed their death certificates. Preferring to remain fashionable, some of the slay-queens and slay kings took the risk and paid dearly. Nearby fishermen couldn’t do much as the boat capsized. The darkness on the lake worsened the situation.
On several occasions Namubiru mentioned the warnings the operators gave to the revelers; asking them to move sides so as the boat could gain balance. A few did but majority, drunk as they were didn’t know the operators were trying to save their lives. Many were far to intoxicated with alcohol to comprehend the dangerous signs the boat was showing. And that was to do with drowning. On Friday Ugandans observed the National Day of Mourning to remember the victims who lost their lives on the lake last Saturday. May their souls rest in peace.