Bus driver wanted to reach Mbale before colleague– YY accident survivor

A survivor of an accident involving a bus and taxi at Bukonte Village, Nawaikona Sub-county in Namutumba District says the bus driver wanted to reach Mbale before his colleague who had left Iganga earlier.

The Mbale-bound bus belonging YY Coaches under registration number UAX 852F on Sunday evening collided with a taxi- UAV 689E heading to Iganga, killing all ten passengers in the taxi.

Rogers Wasike, a student of Islamic University in Uganda, who was aboard the bus, said: "When we reached Nakalama, the driver started driving at a terrific speed despite the poor state of the road."

"He was trying to chase another bus of the same company which left Iganga before us. This caused anxiety among passengers. We asked him to slow down but he didn't,” Mr Wasike said.

Meanwhile, DPC Ojukuna has named some of the deceased as Mr Umar Okwir Aliko, the taxi driver and resident of Nampirikat in Iganga, Ibrahim Waiswa Mugoya from Bugweri, a one Munaba from Budaka and his wife Florence Kyazike from Luuka, Simon Lyatu and a one Muwesi from Busowe Town Council.

The deceased, he said, were taken to Iganga-Nakavule mortuary and attributed the accident to reckless driving by the bus driver.

"The indiscipline and recklessness of YY Coach drivers, thinking that they are special on the road and not respecting others is what is making their buses get involved in accidents. We are hunting for the bus driver and we condemn such indiscipline," he said. 

Hajji Abubakali Nabongho, an eyewitness, said the bus was 'flying on the road'. "Much as the taxi driver was overtaking vehicles that were parked by the roadside, the bus driver was driving at a breakneck speed," he said.

Ms Fatima Bwanari, another survivor, said she boarded the bus from Kampala Bus Park but the driver was 'literally flying right from Kampala'.

"We tried to respectfully ask him to drive at a reasonable speed but he ignored our pleas. We kept monitoring the speed while expressing our frustration through the conductor but nothing changed,” she said.

"When we reached Nakalama, the driver increased speed in a manner that brought total silence in the bus until we got involved in the accident," she added.

The accident occurred about 6:50 pm.