Kampala, Uganda: Veteran Ugandan journalist, Andrew Mwenda, one of the first people to reach the scene where businessman Rajiv Ruparelia crashed dead in a fiery car crash early Saturday morning, has spoken out on the latter’s final moments before he met his death.
Mwenda, the founder of Independent Newspaper, who is also a close friend to the Ruparelia Family, revealed that Rajiv had returned from London specifically to attend the wedding of his close friend, Jonathan Bahizi Buteera, that was scheduled for later today at Speke Resort Munyonyo.
According to the veteran journalist, Rajiv was en route to Munyonyo from Kololo to spend the night before joining the groom’s convoy to All Saints Church in Nakasero for the ceremony.
“He wanted to go and spend the night in Munyonyo because one of his very close friends, a young man called Jonathan Butera Bahisi, his wedding, and he came from London specifically to attend this wedding,” Mwenda told journalists at the Ruparelia home in Kololo.
The accident, which claimed the businessman’s life, occurred at approximately 1:54 AM at the Busabala Flyover junction. Police earlier on Saturday said Rajiv’s high-performance, newly refurbished Nissan GTR collided with temporary concrete barriers, overturned, and caught fire.
Mwenda, speaking of the horrific incident, described it, noting that the car “hit the barrier at high speed,” overturned, and “there was a ball of fire.” Rajiv was alone in the vehicle and died at the scene.
“But on his way, he was approaching Munyonyo at a place called Busabala, there were barriers on the road, and he was speeding. The car hit the barriers and turned upside down and flew for about 80 meters, went upside down,” he narrated.
“By the time it landed, it crashed into a ball of fire. So the car was burned, and he himself, inside the car, was incinerated beyond all recognition. So that is what happened.”
Meanwhile, the Ruparelia family has announced that the cremation of their late son will take place at the Hindu Crematorium in Lugogo on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at 2:30 PM.
A vigil is being held at the family’s residence in Kololo. The family has requested privacy during this difficult time.
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