Locals abandon homes after burning bus involved in road accident
Some of the UPDF soldiers that were deployed to guard the wreckage of the bus and mount search for suspects who burnt it on Thursday night. PHOTO BY FELIX WAROM OKELL
What you need to know:
- The Branch Manager of KKT Bus Company, Mr Joseph Olum, said the passengers reported back to the bus terminal in town, about 10 kilometres away.
- Residents looted the bus and beat up passengers.
ARUA. Residents of Enzeva village in Arivu Sub-county in Arua District have abandoned their homes after they allegedly burnt a KKT bus that was involved in an accident on Thursday evening.
The bus was travelling from Koboko town to Kampala.
The locals abandoned their homes after security personnel arrived at the scene following reports of chaos and attacks on passengers.
Speaking to Daily Monitor, a passenger who was on the bus, Mr Barnabas Isaac, said the driver lost control and rammed into trenches after knocking a stationary truck.
“We found a trailer that had overturned and blocked the road at Enzeva. The bus knocked the trailer as the driver tried to control it. It then swerved off the road and rammed into trenches knocking one person on the road. This annoyed the locals who then started vandalizing the bus and beating up any passenger," he said.
He added: "The angry locals then started pelting the bus with stones when we were still inside. They pulled the driver and the conductor out and beat them severely. Even some of us sustained injuries from the stones. They then set the bus ablaze."
Mr Vicky Onzima, the LCII chairman of the village, said: “When I reached here, I found a truck that had blocked the road. The person who was knocked is called Expendito Bileni, the Vice LC1 chairperson of the village. I rescued some two ladies from the bus because there was a lot of confusion.”
Onzima added that: “All residents had abandoned their homes and because of fear that they could be arrested by security operatives who had been deployed. We have always advised people not to take advantage of the accidents but help instead of looting.”
The District Traffic Officer, Mr Francis Onen, said the truck had a mechanical problem.
“The body of the truck got off from the main head and crashed on the road. The villagers then converged on the truck and started looting,” he said.
He said the bus driver lost control as he was trying to force through the narrow space left.
“The same villagers converged and ordered all passengers to leave their belongings in it. The bus staff were beaten badly. Then the villagers went ahead and burnt the bus.”
The police are still clearing the road for buses and other vehicles to pass.
The Branch Manager of KKT Bus Company, Mr Joseph Olum, said the passengers reported back to the bus terminal in town, about 10 kilometres away.
“At night we mounted search in the gardens because many of them took off. But our staff are safe and we shall sort out other issues administratively. The locals beat up most of the passengers who also lost their property,” he said.
By Friday morning, the police and UPDF soldiers were still recovering some of the items that were looted in the nearby gardens.
