Mayuge, (UG): At least nine (9) people have been confirmed dead and six others seriously hurt in a nasty road crash in Mayuge after a taxi in which they were travelling rammed into a stationary trailer along the Jinja-Iganga highway.
The fatal accident is said to have occurred around midnight of Saturday, November 04, 2023, at Musita village, Mayuge district, according to eyewitnesses this publication spoke to this morning.
The commuter taxi, Reg number UBE 939H en route Iganga from Kampala rammed into a stationary trailer registration number RAC603Q/ RL1055 which had earlier suffered a mechanical issue along the route. The trailer was also headed to Iganga.
Busoga East Police Spokesperson SSP Diana Nandawula confirmed the fatal road crash and told DailyExpress that four of the nine people died on the spot while others breathed their last at Iganga General Hospital where they had been rushed for medication.
Ms Nandawula said according to preliminary investigations, the driver of the taxi was speeding and didn’t recognize the stationary trailer which had suffered a mechanical fault along the busy road.
“It’s alleged that the taxi driver who was speeding didn’t recognize the trailer since there weren’t any warning signs and he rammed into it from behind causing deaths and serious injuries,” Nandawula said.
Ms Nandawula identified the deceased as; Nangobi Filide, 35, a resident of Kaliro town council and her 2-years baby Brenda Naigembe, Opio Moses, 37 who was residing in Kampala with a home in Naluwerere Bugiri district, Mirembe Rachel 35 Kaliro town council, Sseruwaji Lukman, 23, a resident of Busei central Iganga but born of Luwewo Bombo Wakamukasa zone.
Others are; Isabirye Peter Oketch alias Peter Lupiira (the driver), 61, of Nampirika Iganga, Alex Wanjala who has been making shoes in Iganga town, and Nantale Aisha,27, a resident of Bulanga Nantamu zone in Luuka district. The latter was a wife to a local artiste Luwangula Sharif alias Excel J and left three children, two daughters and a son.
The regional police spokesperson said the injured victims were rushed to different hospitals including Iganga and Jinja but DailyExpress has established that some of them were given referrals to Mulago National Referral Hospital.
She further called upon drivers to be vigilant along the roads and condemn the negligence by the trailer driver to seek help and have the vehicle towed off the road.
Taxi drivers speak out
The Saturday morning accident has reignited alarming calls from the community especially taxi drivers to have the vehicles which broke down along the roads towed to safer areas before causing accidents.
“…we heard speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Anita Among one time saying that there should be urgency in towing such vehicles along the roads to avoid accidents. We pray that this matter is implemented and ensure that police patrol team is supported with a readily available breakdown car to tow vehicles that break on the way,” Mr Buyinza Wilberforce Telime, one of the leaders in Iganga taxi park said.
Tulilaba Moses, the leader of Revive and Heal churches from Kaliro town council said they lost one of their members Mirembe Rachel and her child plus Nangobi Filida who has been their coordinators in the eastern region and Kaliro district respectively.
The chairperson of Iganga Central Division Mr. Kasimba Abubakari has called upon drivers to always be vigilant while driving along various routes in the country, especially during the current rainy weather ahead of the festive season. He urged traffic police to encourage drivers to have reflectors and eliminate crashes.
By press time, the bodies had been taken to Iganga General Hospital Mortuary for postmortem as investigations into the actual cause of the accident continued.
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