Nsibambi injured in helicopter crash

Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi was injured yesterday after a Police helicopter he was travelling in crashed in Bugiri District.

Prof. Nsibambi was flying back to Kampala after receiving 150 tonnes of food aid from the Kenyan government to the victims of last week’s landslide in Bududa.
Bizarrely, Kenyan Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, who was supposed to hand over the food to Prof. Nsibambi, did not make it after his helicopter developed a mechanical fault and had to make an emergency landing.

Six injured
Six people who were travelling with Prof. Nsibambi were also injured in yesterday’s incident, which occurred at Bugiri Hospital.
They include the Permanent Secretary in Nsibambi’s office, Mr Pius Bigirimana and three aides to the premier identified as Rose Oyella, Apollo Munghinda and Peter Isabirye. Pilots Emmanuel Busuulwa, and Elijah Matovu, were also injured.

The victims were taken into the hospital and were later airlifted to Kampala in an army helicopter for further medical attention.
Mr Isaac Malinga, the Bugiri District medical officer, said many on board, including Prof. Nsibambi, had sustained serious injuries.
“I think the prime minister, the pilot and the permanent secretary had spinal problems whose extent can only be ascertained after an X-ray is done,” Mr Malinga said.

Prof Nsibambi, 72, reportedly complained of back pain and of aching ribs and could neither walk nor stand unaided. The Hospital Medical Superintendent, Ms Sarah Nambooze, said her team had given pain relief to the victims before they were transferred.

“They left this place in stable condition and I think they will be okay,” she said. “We had the capacity to manage these victims, but this being a smaller hospital, they preferred Mulago.”

The cause of the crash, which occurred just before 3p.m., had not been made public by press time last night. Information Minister Kabakumba Masiko later issued a statement and said the Civil Aviation Authority would investigate the matter and issue a full report.

Samson Lubega, a Police spokesman, said the helicopter first struck a tree before hitting the ground. This is the second incident involving this helicopter following an earlier incident last April in Arua which eye-witnesses described as a crash-landing but which the Police described as a scheduled refuelling stop.

Police sources said the chopper was bought in 2008 at a cost of Shs6 billion.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka’s charity mission to Uganda failed when the helicopter he was travelling in developed mechanical problems.

Mr Musyoka, who was with three ministers, returned to Nairobi in a different plane after the one he was in made an emergency landing in Kabarak.
A passenger said the helicopter ride started being bumpy as they overflew the escarpment. As they approached Nakuru, the helicopter started swaying and a steward approached the VIPs to inform them that they would have to make an emergency landing at the Kabarak airstrip as the helicopter had encountered mechanical problems.

Other Kenyan officials on board were Special Programmes Minister Naomi Shaban and her assistant Mohamed Mahmoud. At least 83 people were confirmed dead and hundreds of others are missing after the tragedy. Many more have been displaced from their hillside homes.

Defence spokesman Bogita Ongeri said the Kenya Air Force chopper landed at an airstrip at former Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi’s Kabarak home.
Another chopper was sent to ferry Mr Musyoka with his entourage back to Nairobi, Mr Ongeri said.

The delivery of the food donations went on in Uganda overseen by Prof. Nsibambi and Kenya’s High Commissioner to Uganda. Additional reporting by Ephraim Kasozi, Asuman Musobya and Lucas Baraza in Nairobi