By Frank Kamuntu
At least one person has tragically lost her life, and many others sustained injuries when a bus overturned along the Kampala-Masaka Highway. This accident occurred at Kabale-Bugonzi Village in Masaka City.
The deceased has been identified as Ms. Cissy Nabadda, an unfortunate pedestrian from Butende Village in Masaka District. She died instantly after being struck by the bus.
According to eyewitnesses, the accident happened at Mpugwe Village. The bus, registered under Global Coaches with license plate UAZ 809X, was en route from Kampala to Mbarara. The driver lost control while attempting to avoid a stationary trailer (registration CG 01493AC) parked on the roadside. In an effort to swerve and avoid a collision with a Congolese truck, the bus struck Ms. Nabadda before overturning into the road reserve.
The bus driver, Hamidu Ggombe, fled the scene, and his current whereabouts remain unknown. Witnesses reported that he escaped on a boda-boda.
Survivors of the accident shared harrowing accounts, with some attributing the collision to reckless driving by Ggombe.
The exact number of injured passengers could not be immediately determined, but they were promptly taken to Masaka Regional Referral Hospital for medical attention.
Twaha Kasirye, the Southern Region Police spokesperson, confirmed that preliminary reports suggest reckless driving as the cause of the accident. “We are still investigating,” Kasirye stated, “but we are actively searching for the driver. He will face charges related to reckless driving, causing death, and fleeing the scene of an accident.”
The Kampala-Masaka Highway remains one of the accident-prone roads in Uganda, with an annual fatality count ranging between 200 and 3001.
Below is a summary of road accidents in Uganda based on available reports:
2022 Statistics:
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- In 2022, Uganda registered 20,394 cases of road accidents, which represents a 16.9% increase compared to the previous year.
- Out of every 100 crashes, 22 people died, and 61% of all accidents were a result of reckless driving.
Pedestrian and Cyclist Fatalities:
- According to traffic police records from the last four years, at least 2,634 pedestrians and cyclists are killed on Uganda roads annually.
- Between 2016 and 2019, 10,537 pedestrians and riders lost their lives in accidents across urban areas, highways, and village roads, averaging seven fatalities per day.
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