School van driver knocks parent dead, goes into hiding

Police in Kyotera District have launched a manhunt of Master Cares Christian School van driver who knocked a parent dead, in Kyakonda Cell, Kyotera Town Council, Kyotera District.

The suspect was reportedly driving the van at break-neck speed when he hit John Bosco Kabugo, 45, a resident of Kyakonda in Kyotera town council as he rode his 15-year-old daughter, Joan Nabukeera to school on Tuesday morning.

Nabukera, a student at Kyotera Modern Secondary School sustained serious injuries. She was first rushed to Kyotera Medical Centre before being referred to Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala for further management.

Meanwhile the pupils in the ill-fated van also escaped unhurt. 

“It is so unfortunate that the driver of the school van drove recklessly without minding other road users, especially the children. We are hunting for him and the school is yet to provide us with his details,” Mr Hassan Hiwumbire, the Kyotera District Police Commander said.

Mr Joseph Kayemba, a parent in Kyotera Town told Monitorthat the school van driver had on several occasions been warned against speeding, but did not take heed.

“Personally, I don’t have any children at Master Cares Christian School, but I have been so touched with the way the driver does his job. I have stopped him twice warning him that he was putting the lives of children at risk because of his speed because an accident could easily occur but he would just trash my warnings,” he said.

Mr Alex Ssemwogerere, the chairperson Uganda National Teachers’ Union (Unatu ) in Kyotera District advised  the school administrators with vans to be extra careful while hiring drivers.

“Any driver without a clear background of driving a passenger vehicle shouldn’t be entrusted with transporting students. He may think he is carrying cargo yet it's human beings who are onboard,” he said.

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