Five dead, five injured in Mpigi motor accident
What you need to know:
- According to Lydia Tumushabe, the Katonga Regional Police Spokesperson, the accident happened as the driver of the commuter taxi Reg. No. UBH 517E, which was coming from Kampala attempted to overtake another vehicle and rammed into an oncoming commuter taxi Reg. No. UAT 108V and a Bajaj Boxer Reg. No. UEG 100N that were coming from Mpigi side heading to Kampala. She blamed the accident on reckless driving.
Five people have been confirmed dead while five others have sustained grievous injuries in a motor accident that happened at Wamatovu-Nakirebe Village in Mpigi District along Kampala–Masaka highway.
The incident which occurred at around 5.45am on Monday morning involved two commuter taxis and a Boda-Boda.
According to Lydia Tumushabe, the Katonga Regional Police Spokesperson, the accident happened as the driver of the commuter taxi Reg. No. UBH 517E, which was coming from Kampala attempted to overtake another vehicle and rammed into an oncoming commuter taxi Reg. No. UAT 108V and a Bajaj Boxer Reg. No. UEG 100N that were coming from Mpigi side heading to Kampala. She blamed the accident on reckless driving.
“After the collision, five people including the Boda-Boda rider died on spot. We have identified the deceased persons as; Ronald Mpagi,49, driver of the commuter taxi (UAT 108V), Ruth Nanteza,30, Constant Kigozi,21, Said Tambi,43, a trader in Mpigi Town, and another person whose identities are yet to be identified,” she said.
Ms Tumushabe said the five passengers who sustained fractured legs and arms are admitted at Mpigi Health Centre IV and Double Cure Hospital. These include; John Katongole,41, Reagan Ssenyindwa,20, Vincent Mayengo, 32, Musisi Kiwoowa, 27, and James Kagugube,20.
Mr Alex Ssebulime, a taxi driver in Mpigi Town said he learnt about the death of his brother Ronald Mpagi, from a colleague who arrived at the scene a few moments after the accident.
“When a fellow taxi driver called me to give the sad news, I almost collapsed, Mpagi has gone so soon. I knew him as a good driver who loathes speed and it is an oncoming vehicle that knocked his car,” he said.
The wreckage of the ill-fated vehicles and Boda-Boda have been towed to Mpigi Police Station.
Ms Tumushabe appealed to motorists to avoid speeding which is still the leading cause of road carnages in Uganda.
“We can avoid most of these accidents if drivers change their bad behavior of speeding, why should someone really overtake another vehicle when he cannot see what is ahead,” she said.
A 2019 survey by Makerere University School of Public Health revealed that about 9,000 people perish in road traffic accidents annually in Uganda, a number three times higher than that declared by the police.
According to 2019 police annual Crime and Traffic/Road Safety report, there was a 0.4 per cent increase in the number of road accidents reported from 12,805 in 2018 to 12,858 in 2019, out of which 3,407 were fatal, 5,992 were serious and 3,459 were minor.
Reported by & BRIAN ADAMS KESIIME
