Prime
Two dead, 15 injured in Kampala –Masaka road crash
he wreckage of the taxi that was transporting mourners before it collided with Toyota Noah along Kampala- Masaka road on November 26, 2022. PHOTOS/ BRIAN ADAMS KESIIME
What you need to know:
- Eyewitnesses said the speeding Toyota Hiace taxi trasporting mourners and Toyota Noah collided when both drivers attempted to overtake other cars
At least two people have been confirmed dead following Kampala –Masaka road crash that left 15 others seriously hurt.
The crash involving two cars – a Toyota Noah and a commuter taxi, Toyota Hiace happened near Jalia City one-stop centre in Mpigi District at around 4pm.
The two people who died on spot were identified as Abdul Ssekkuma, the driver of the Toyota Hiace and one Sandra Akurut, residents of Nansana, Wakiso and Namungoona, Kampala District respectively.
Unidentified woman who was driving a Toyota Noah sustained severe injuries and was, together with other survivors rushed to Nkozi Hospital and Buwama Health Centre IV for treatment.
According to Sam Ssekitto, one of the eyewitnesses, the crash was as a result of speeding by both drivers of the ill-fated vehicles.
He said most of the survivors were travelling in the taxi heading to Rakai District to attend a burial ceremony.
“The drivers of both vehicles-one of the Toyota Hiace who was travelling from Kampala and another in a Toyota Noah who was travelling from Masaka side were speeding. They attempted to overtake other vehicles and in the process they collided head-on,” he said.
Mr Juma Maggwaw, the Katonga Regional Traffic police spokesperson confirmed the crash and advised motorists to avoid reckless driving.
“It is a rainy season and roads tend to be slippery. We are also approaching the festive season where we usually record increased road crashes. Let our people adhere to traffic regulations. A big number of such road crashes is as a result of human errors which can be minimized but most motorists have failed to take heed and we end up losing lives,” he said.
The 2021 Uganda Police Annual Crime Report says there was a 42-percent increase in the number of road crashes from 12, 249 in 2020 to 17,443 in 2021. More than 3,000 crashes were fatal, and 4,616 survived with minor injuries.
The report says on average, Uganda loses approximately 10 people per day due to road crashes.
According to the World Health Organisation, each year, 1.35 million people are killed on roadways worldwide. Almost 3,700 people are killed globally in crashes involving cars, buses, motorcycles, bicycles, trucks, or pedestrians daily. More than half of these are pedestrians, motorcyclists, or cyclists.
