Nine people perish in four separate accidents

At least nine people have perished in four separate accidents in Mpigi, Kiruhura and Butambala districts since Monday.
Two of the accidents occurred on Kampala–Masaka highway on Tuesday, while two others occurred on the newly paved Mpigi–Kanoni road and Masaka-Mbarara highway.
The deceased in the Tuesday carnage on Kampala-Masaka highway are Olivia Kiyimba of Busega Kigwanya Zone in Wakiso District and an unidentified baby.
According to Mr Phillip Mukasa, the regional police spokesperson Katonga region, the accident, which also left scores injured, involved five vehicles. It happened at around 8:40am, at Nakirebe Village in Mpigi District.
The ill-fated vehicles included; three commuter taxis, a super custom belonging to two tour companies and a Fuso truck carrying matooke.
Some of the injured included; Ms Safina Mubiru of Busega, Kampala, Ms Rose Namiiro of Nakirebe Village, Maama Derrick of Kibibi Town in Butambala District, Fatuma Namukasa of Nabbingo Village, Wakiso District, Masitula Nakazzi of Kawempe, Kampala District and her daughter five-year-old daughter, Swabula Nabuuma and Lubega (a turn boy of the Fuso lorry), among others.
The bodies were taken to Mulago National Referral Hospital mortuary for a postmortem while those injured were admitted to Double Cure Clinic in Mpigi Town Council, St Mary’s Bahaise Medical Centre at Nakirebe Town and Mpigi Health Centre IV.
Mr Mukasa blamed the accident on the morning fog and reckless driving by the Fuso truck driver.
“Our preliminary investigations show that the driver of the lorry which was loaded with matooke, was trying to overtake two vehicles from Masaka side hence colliding with other two from the opposite direction,” Mr Mukasa said.
Another victim was a boda-boda cyclist only identified as Godfrey who was knocked dead along the same highway on Tuesday morning by unidentified speeding vehicle near Mitala-Maria Taxi Stage in Buwama Town Council. By press time, police were still hunting for the driver of the vehicle that is suspected to have caused the accident.
Meanwhile, two other people were knocked dead by a speeding commuter taxi on Mpigi-Kanoni road near Gombe Town Centre in Butambala District on Monday evening.
Mr Mukasa, said the deceased have not yet been identified because they did not have identification documents.
Another fatal accident which left four people dead, occured at Rwebiteete Village near Akageti Trading Centre on Masaka-Mbarara highway.
Mr Samson Kasasira, the Rwizi regional police spokesperson, said the accident happened on Monday morning when a Fuso truck, which was heading to Kampala overturned.

Traffic check

Motor accidents on Kampala–Masaka highway had reduced following the introduction of traffic check points under Fika Salama (Reach safely) operation in 2016. However, the laxity of police officers at various check points has seen a surge in accidents in the past one year. Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara highway is one of the busiest in the country with an average daily traffic count of 20,908 vehicles, connecting Kampala city to south-western region.