URSB staff, cousin die after car rams into sugarcane truck
Mr Paul Nathan Magera (inset) died on the spot when his vehicle, a Toyota Landcrusier registration number UAL 334J, rammed into a stationary truck loaded with sugarcanes at Butongole Village, Busembatia Town Council in Bugweri District. PHOTOS/ COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Ms Diana Nandaula, the Busoga East Police Spokesperson, attributed the accident to speeding.
The head of procurement at Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) was rushing to attend a disciplinary meeting in Kampala when he perished in a road accident on Monday morning, his family has said.
Mr Paul Nathan Magera, 49, died on the spot when his vehicle, a Toyota Landcrusier registration number UAL 334J, rammed into a stationary truck loaded with sugarcanes at Butongole Village, Busembatia Town Council in Bugweri District.
The accident, that happened at around 5:50am, also claimed his passenger and cousin identified as Mr Siraje Kalema.
Mr Geoffrey Nambafu, a brother, has told this publication that prior to his death, Mr Magera said he had to be in Kampala on Monday by 9am to chair a disciplinary meeting.
"We were together in the Village (Bugobero, Manafwa district) up to 9:30pm on Sunday, and he said he has a disciplinary meeting to chair in Kampala on Monday morning at 9am.
"I tried talking him into leaving the next day, but he was intent on leaving very early. I left him in the Village at 9:30pm and returned to Mbale town," Mr Nambafu said.
He added: "My sister, however, told me that he went to rest and left Bugobero for Kampala at 4am; unfortunately, about two hours later, I heard that he had rammed into a sugarcane truck."
Mr Nambafu said he heard from eyewitness accounts and first responders' testimony that while driving, Mr Magera saw an oncoming car, but in a desperate attempt to avoid a head-on collision, he decided to swerve off the road, but tragically rammed into the stationary truck.
Ms Diana Nandaula, the Busoga East Police Spokesperson, attributed the accident to speeding.
"If he wasn't over speeding, maybe the accident could have been avoided because by the time he realised that there was a stationary truck and applied the brakes, it was too late," Ms Nandaula said.
According to Mr Nambafu, the family has tentatively decided that Mr Kalema is on Tuesday (tomorrow) buried in Mbarara, while Mr Magera is buried on Wednesday in Bugobero, Manafwa District.
"It is tragic that Kalema had traveled to Manafwa for the weekend to see us and met his death while returning back," Mr Nambafu added.
By the time of filing this story, URSB had put out a notice, inviting the public to a vigil at Mr Magera's home in Najera II.
