KAGADI - The Police in Kagadi District together with the office of Kagadi Resident District Commissioner (RDC) have mounted a manhunt for a driver attached to Kagadi District Local Government for allegedly knocking dead a boda boda cyclist on the 30km Muhorro-Kyaterekera Ndaiga road in the district.

Lilian Ruteraho, the Kagadi RDC who is also the head of security in the district, identified the suspected driver of Kagadi LC5 chairperson Yosia Ndibwami only as Stephen alias City.

The suspect allegedly knocked dead boda boda rider Tuhaise Magezi, 25, a resident of Muhorro Town Council while driving a double cabin pickup truck registration number UG 6998M, donated by the health ministry to aid the COVID-19 response in 2021.

The deceased had joined his colleagues who were demonstrating the dilapidated Muhorro-Kyaterekera-Lake Albert Road which has spent over three years without any rehabilitation. It is alleged that Ndibwami was inside the speeding vehicle and heading towards Kyaterekera-Ndaiga road.

“We are seriously hunting for the hit-and-run driver still on the run to have him arrested before he causes other accidents. I highly condemn this illegal peaceful demonstration which was uncalled for because they would use relevant authorities to voice out their grievances,” said Ruteraho

She faulted the Police for failure to respond promptly to quell the demonstration before and after the vehicular incident. Ruteraho also blamed the Uganda National Roads Authority for delaying responding to people’s grievances.

Gad Benda, the country director of World Voices Uganda, condemned the driver’s acts saying the innocent protestor was beside the road with placards exercising his rights with his colleagues.

He also blamed legislators Barnabas Tinkasiimire of Buyaga West and Jennifer Kyomuhendo the Kagadi Woman MP, for failure to lobby for the tarmacking of the Muhorro-Kyaterekera–Ndaiga road as well as UNRA and district leaders for neglecting the appalling state of the road. He says the Constitution mandates people to peacefully demonstrate when they are dissatisfied with the poor service delivery.

‘’People are empowered with the constitutional mandate to peacefully demonstrate and this is no cause for alarm. The road has spent over 3 years without any rehabilitation and our members of parliament are sleeping. It should be tarmacked because it links the district to DR-Congo and other neighbouring districts in terms of trade and agricultural marketing’’, said Benda.

Kagadi LC5 chairperson Ndibwami could not be reached as calls to his known numbers from reporters went unanswered.

The 31km Muhorro-Kyaterekera–Lake Albert road connects the sub-counties of Muhorro, Bwikara, Kyaterekera, Mpefu, Nyakarongo, Kyaterekera and Ndaiga which are rich in both crop and animal husbandry products for export to DR Congo through Lake Albert. It had been budgeted for in the 2015/16 financial year but later the program was changed.

The disgruntled protestors who included boda boda cyclists and Muhorro Town Council residents, say the demonstration was long overdue because of the dilapidated road which had posed a threat to pedestrians and cyclists.