Hoima District chairperson dies in accident

The Hoima District chairperson has died in a motor accident, police have confirmed.

The 47-year-old Kadiri Kirungi and his 25-year-old bodyguard PC Bosco Otim died on spot at around 10pm on March 17 when a vehicle they were travelling in collided head-on with a truck carrying pavers at Mataagi Village in Bukomero Town Council, along the Kampala-Hoima Highway in Kiboga District.

"The truck was travelling from Kampala heading to Kiboga, being driven by a yet to be identified driver who fled the scene. On reaching Mataagi Bridge, the truck driver tried to dodge a pothole when it swerved from its lane on to its right where it collided with the car which was heading to Kampala that was being driven by Kirungi," Wamala Region police said in a statement on March 18. 

Gruesome pictures circulated on social media overnight Friday showing the remains of Kirungi trapped in the wreckage of the vehicle he was travelling in while his injured bodyguard could be seen lifeless on the ground.

On Saturday, police confirmed that only two people perished in the accident, contrary to local media reports that initially estimated four fatalities. 

"The bodies of Kirungi and Otim were conveyed to Kiboga Hospital Mortuary for postmortem," police informed. 

A family source told Monitor that the deceased district boss' body was received in Hoima in the wee hours of Saturday ahead of burial, tentatively planned for March 19 in Buswekera Village, just over 5kms from the heart of Hoima City. 

Kadiri, a former broadcaster at radio Liberty FM in the oil-rich Hoima City, obtained 20,391 votes on the ruling NRM party ticket to retain his 5-year term seat after defeating his closest rival in the race, Vincent Muhumuza Savana [Ind], who got 11,100 in the 2021 general election.

His death implies that the district will now head to a by-election on dates to be scheduled by the Electoral Commission.