AUDIO: Nine perish in Kanungu bound bus accident
The Highway bus that rammed into a parked trailer. Photo by Christopher Kiseka.
What you need to know:
Mr Phillip Mukasa, the Police Spokesperson for Katonga Region says that all accidents are mostly caused by indiscipline of motorists who drive recklessly, don’t respect road marks and signs
Masaka.
Nine people have been confirmed dead and 16 others seriously injured in an accident that occurred on Thursday morning along Kampala- Masaka highway.
According to the Regional Police Commander for Greater Masaka, Mr Maxwell Ogwal, a highway bus Reg. NO. UAX 826M on its way to Kanungu District rammed into a stationery trailer UAJ 872N, UAD 446Q. The accident occurred at Kamutuuza village, about 12 km to Masaka town, at about 12:30am when the bus that was heading to Kanungu rammed into the trailer.
“At the moment we have confirmed nine people have died and sixteen people injured seriously. The injured have been taken to Masaka Referral Hospital while the dead are in the hospital mortuary,” Mr Ogwal said. “We are looking for the driver of the bus to help police with investigations into the cause of the accident because he disappeared shortly after causing the accident,” he added.
The deceased that were identified by police by press time included Rev. Can Enoch Komunda, the former Dean of Kinkiizi Diocese; Josephine Namulindwa, Claire Atuhairwe and one Mulindwa who is said to have been the bus conductor.
The trailer was parked by the road side when the Kanungu bound bus rammed into it. Photo by Christopher Kiseka.
According to Justine Najjuma, one of the survivors, the driver of the bus could have slept off because he did not realize that the trailer was stationary.
“The driver was driving recklessly and some passengers had already complained about him but he never listened to them,” Ms Najjuma said.
The deceased that were identified by police by press time included Rev. Can Enoch Komunda former Dean of Kinkizi Cathedral, Josephine Namilundwa, Atuhairwe Claire and one Mulindwa who is said to be the conductor of the bus.
A least three people perished and four others were injured in two separate accidents on Kampala-Masaka highway at the weekend. The first accident occurred last Friday night at Jambula Zone near Buwama Town where a speeding Toyota Mark II knocked Mr Steven Kizito and John Bosco Ssekaayi who were riding on a motorcycle. Kizito died on spot, while Ssekaayi died at Gombe Hospital where he had been taken for treatment.
On July 2, 21 people died and 30 were injured in an accident at Kampiringisa in Mpigi District on the Kampala Masaka highway.
On July 17, just three kilometers from the scene, another accident claimed four people, including a traffic officer ,Deogratius Kweyamba, the Kalungu District traffic officer .
On July 26, Prof Lawrence Mukiibi, the proprietor of St Lawrence Schools was involved in a motor accident near one of his schools at Nakati on Kampala-Masaka road on Tuesday afternoon.
Mr Phillip Mukasa, the Police Spokesperson for Katonga Region says that all accidents are mostly caused by indiscipline of motorists who drive recklessly, don’t respect road marks and signs. According to Mr Mukasa, most of the accidents happen at a section between Maya-Katende and Nabyewanga Trading Center near Lwera swamp at the border of Mpigi and Kalungu District. Police records from Katonga region show that 96 people have died and 245 others injured since this year began.
