Kiruhura, Uganda: NBS Television’s budding journalist and reporter, Julius Kitone, is among the eight people confirmed dead in Friday evening’s devastating road crash along the Mbarara–Lyantonde highway in Kiruhura District.
Kitone, believed to be in his early 30s, died when a white Toyota Hiace (UBQ 016U) collided head-on with a Mercedes-Benz Actros trailer at Kibega I Village at around 6:30 pm. All the deceased were occupants of the Hiace, according to police.
Rwizi Regional Police spokesperson SP Samson Kasasira said preliminary investigations indicate that the Hiace driver attempted to overtake at a corner before crashing into the oncoming trailer, which was reportedly in its proper lane.
The impact left eight passengers dead on the spot, while one survivor was rushed to Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in critical condition. Police were, by press time, still working to retrieve bodies trapped in the wreckage and formally identify all victims.
Kitone was a Multimedia Climate Journalist and Documentary Specialist at NBS Television under Next Media Services, where he also contributed as an online writer for Nile Post, also under the same parent company.
Colleagues described him as a dedicated storyteller passionate about impactful journalism and documentary production. News of his sudden death sent shockwaves through Uganda’s media fraternity, with tributes pouring in from fellow journalists and media stakeholders.
The Kiruhura crash has renewed concerns about reckless overtaking and road safety along the busy Mbarara–Lyantonde highway, a corridor that has registered several fatal accidents in recent months.
Police have urged motorists to avoid overtaking at blind corners and to strictly observe traffic regulations to prevent further loss of life.
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