KAMPALA, UGANDA: At least 12 people have so far been confirmed dead, and several others injured following two separate road crashes that happened in Bukomansimbi and Masindi districts on Saturday afternoon.
In the Masindi road crash, five people died on spot after the lorry they were traveling in overturned at Ikoba junction in Masindi District.
According to the authorities in Masindi, the lorry transporting over 70 casual workers from Kinywamurara Camp- headed for one of the Kinyara Limited sugarcane plantations to cut sugarcane hit the roadside and overturned several times killing five on the spot and several others injured.
Julius Allan Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police Spokesperson confirmed the incident but said they were “still compiling the particulars of the deceased and those who sustained injuries in the accident along the Masindi-Hoima road.”
“The injured are currently admitted at Masindi District hospital while those in critical condition have been referred to Hoima Regional Referral Hospital,” he added.
One of the victims of the grisly accident narrated that the crash was a result of overspeeding from the driver who failed to negotiate the junction as the vehicle hit the roadside wall.
“After the accident, I saw the driver escaping from the scene and people who were around came and rescued us and called the ambulance to take us to the hospital,” he said.
In a separate incident, at least seven people were confirmed dead and several others seriously hurt after a truck overturned in Bukomansimbi District on Saturday afternoon.
According to eyewitnesses in Bukomansimbi, the driver of a speeding Fuso truck registration number UAX 226U, which was transporting about 20 people from Nyendo in Masaka District, lost control before it overturned and crashed into a guard rail at Kanoni village, Butenga Sub County in Bukomansimbi District.
The victims whose details were not readily available by the time of filing this story were reportedly heading to Bukomansimbi market when the crash happened.
“The vehicle was moving at a high speed and it seems it developed a mechanical problem before the driver lost control of it,” one of the eyewitnesses told this website.
The injured were taken to Villa Maria Hospital for treatment as police investigates the actual cause of the crash, according to Bukomansimbi District Police Commander, Christine Namawuba.
Today’s road crashes happened exactly 10 days after four separate motor accidents – three in western and one in eastern part of the country – on May 4, 2022 claimed 28 lives.
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