Driver on the run as bus overturns on Gulu- Juba Highway

The friendship bus that overturned along Gulu- Atiak road. Photo by Jimmy Okema

What you need to know:

This is the third bus accident to happen in just a period of less a week.

Twelve people have been severely injured in a motor accident along Gulu-Atiak road when the bus they were travelling in overturned.
The Kampala bound bus from Adjumani district, belonging to Friendship Bus Company with registration number UAU 708 B, had 35 passengers on board when it over turned at Gulu Primary School in Bardege Division Gulu Municipality along Gulu- Juba Highway on Thursday morning.

The bus driver identified as Siraji Kaikire is believed to have caused the accident when he attempted to overtake another bus belonging to Zawadi Bus Company for customers in Gulu Town plying the same route.
Aswa regional police Spokesperson, Mr Jimmy Patrick Okema confirmed the incident attributing it to the reckless driving by the bus driver.
He identified the injured passengers as Rebecca Yoo 25, Patrick Kihumba 32, Agnes Lanyero and Mwa Solomon.
“The police responded swiftly to the accident scene and all the injured persons were rushed to St Mary’s Hospital Lacor where they are receiving treatment,” said Mr Okema, adding that the bus driver is on the run and being hunted by police.

Mr Okema added that drivers have been taking advantage of the ‘good conditions’ of the Gulu-Atiak road to drive reckless.
According to traffic police statistics, twelve deaths and 22 serious injuries following 15 accidents have been recorded in just one month period.
On Wednesday, the acting director of traffic and road safety directorate of Police, Dr. Steven Kasiima, directed that bus drivers will not be allowed to drive over 300km a day following the escalating bus accidents cases across the country.

Assessment tests on bus drivers carried out by the police on Wednesday in Kampala saw only 800 bus drivers pass out of 1,000 tested.
This is the third bus accident to happen in just a period of less a week.

Some of the Bus accidents this year
On August 20, another bus accident along Mbarara-Kabale road left one person dead and five others injured.
On August 18, at least seven people were confirmed dead, 20 others critically injured in an accident involving two buses; belonging to Gaagaa and KK bus companies plying Kampala-Gulu highway.
On July 29, four people died on spot in accident occurred at Namusi Trading Centre along Mbale- Soroti Highway when a Teso Coach bus rammed into a Toyota Corona vehicle.

On July 16, Sixteen people were critically injured and hospitalized following a motor accident that occurred 40 kilometres from the South Sudan Boarder post of Nimule after the bus- belonging Bakulu Bus Company- they were travelling in overturned.

On July 9 this year, one person died on spot while three others sustained multiple fractures following the fatal accident involving a passenger bus and a Fuso lorry.
Another bus heading to Hoima District from Kampala overturned in Kiboga District on April, killing four of its occupants and injuring more than 27.
At least two passengers died instantly in a bus accident along Kampala-Masaka highway on June 20, this year. The accident which involved a bus, Savana Coaches registration UAB 727S coming from Kanungu to Kampala with another truck occurred at Nabyewangwa near Masaka.

On June 4, a military officer attached to the UPDF 2nd Division headquarters in Mbarara District died on spot after his car collided with a bus, one kilometre outside the town on the Mbarara-Masaka road.
On June 3, this year over 45 pilgrims returning to various districts like Kasese, Fort portal and Kyenjojo survived with injuries an accident when a bus in which they were traveling lost control and overturned.
A bus driver died on January 28 at Mulago Hospital following a motor accident that involved a semi-trailer, which was heading to Kampala from Gulu Town and a bus belonging to ACANADIRO Transporters.