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Truck crashes four-year-old pupil
Emmanuel Rukundo while still alive. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
The deceased with his brother were crossing the road, escorted by a maid to take a boda boda to school.
A sad mood yesterday engulfed the home of Mr Nicholas Ayebazibwe and his partner Ms Jane Mutesi. The couple, who stay in Ntinda, a Kampala suburb, were joined by family members, friends and neighbours to mourn the sudden death of their four-year-old son Emmanuel Rukundo.
The boy was instantly killed yesterday in the early morning hours as he waited to cross the road with his elder brother Edwin Tusiime, aged six along Ntinda Stretcher in Kampala. They were accompanied by a house maid said to be in her 20s. She was to help them cross the road and see them board a waiting motorcycle that was supposed to take them to school.
Rukundo was in Baby Class at Ntinda Nursery School while his brother is in Primary One at Ntinda Primary School.
A witnesses t, Mr Santos Sengler Ole, a boda boda rider, who operates at Ntinda Stretcher stage, says shortly before 8am, the driver of the Isuzu truck failed to negotiate a corner and rammed to the side where the trio were standing.
“I thought that all of them had been knocked but it turned out to be only Rukundo,” he says.
Mr Ole believes Tusiime and the maid probably managed to walk away unhurt because they fell into a shallow water drainage after seeing the truck heading towards their direction. Rukundo was standing slightly in front of them and did not get out of the way fast enough. His head and right leg were crashed beyond recognition. His body was later taken to Mulago hospital mortuary.
Mr John Abaho, the deceased’s uncle, was among the first people Ayebazibwe called to inform about the accident.
“He was crying uncontrollably while narrating his son’s death. I could hear the pain and anguish in his heart,” Abaho said with teary eyes, adding, “we are so distressed by his death.”
Ms Lydia Namuwenge, Rukundo’s teacher, remembers the deceased as a very social and inquisitive child.
“He loved everyone and everyone loved him back. He also liked asking questions, too many questions. I will really miss seeing him in the classroom,” Ms Namuwenge says.
Rukundo was the third born child. His other sibling, a boy, is two years old.
His burial will take place today in Rukungiri District, western Uganda.
Driver arrested
Mr Davis Wanyama, the district police commander at Kira Road Police, says the driver of the Isuzu truck was arrested shortly after the incident and will be charged accordingly. Meanwhile, the vehicle was taken to Ntinda Police Station for inspection. “Never allow your young children to go to school alone. Ensure that you personally drop them off using either a personal car or any other public means,” Mr Wanyama advised parents on how such incidents can be avoided.
