Six perish in grisly road crash on Gulu-Kampala Highway

A devastating head-on collision between an Omnibus taxi and a Fuso truck on the Gulu-Kampala Highway in Luweero District on Wednesday claimed six lives and left five others seriously injured.

The victims were identified as Rogers Mfitukiza, Charles Opirisa, Ephraim Mugerwa, Joshua Ebong, a male adult known only as Kato, and an unidentified female.

Savannah Region Police Spokesman, Mr Sam Twineamazima, attributed the accident to careless driving by the Fuso truck driver.

"He was speeding and trying to overtake when the accident occurred. The Omnibus taxi was coming from Gulu City heading to Kampala City, while the Fuso truck was moving in the opposite direction," he explained.

Eyewitnesses described the horror of the scene. "The truck driver was speeding and hooting as he overtook several vehicles before crashing head-on with the taxi," said Hassan Ssendagire, a butcher at Kalule Town.

Ssendagire added, "We never thought of rescuing a single passenger from the taxi because of the nature of the crash."

The injured were rushed to Bombo Military Hospital for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were transferred to Luweero Hospital Mortuary for postmortem examination.

This tragic incident highlights the dangers of reckless driving and the need for caution on notorious black spots along the Gulu-Kampala highway.

The driver of the Omnibus taxi was among those who died on the spot. The police are investigating the incident.