Several feared dead after taxi plunges into Tororo's River Malaba

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A July 29, 2025, morning road crash on the Tororo-Busia road has reportedly claimed an unspecified number of people's lives and injured others. The crash at Amongura Bridge on the border of Tororo and Busia districts involved a taxi registration number UA889AM.

According to eyewitnesses, the passenger service vehicle, which was reportedly speeding from Busia toward Tororo, struck and killed an elderly man. The driver then reportedly fled the scene, abandoning the vehicle, which subsequently overturned and fell into the River Malaba with passengers.

"It was coming to 07:00am when the crash happened," Nathan Okamar, an eyewitness, told New Vision Online.

"The driver, after knocking a mzee, who was going to the garden, jumped out and left the vehicle to overturn into the water."

Isidor Ekimoire, another witness, said: "The taxi overturned three times before it plunged into the river. When we came in, at least four people were found dead, a woman, two men and a child. The rest were badly injured."

The injured were taken to Tororo General Hospital.

Police have yet to issue a statement on the incident as officers at the scene declined to speak to the media, referring all inquiries to their superiors, who are equally still locked in a meeting.

This is a developing story still being followed for more details.

Crash statistics

According to the Police Annual Crime Report 2024, there were 25,808 casualties from road crashes in 2024 compared to 24,728 in 2023, giving a 4.4% increase in the number of casualties. The number of reported road crashes increased by 6.4% in 2024, from 23,608 in 2023 to 25,107 in 2024.

The number of reported fatal crashes also increased by 6.1%, from 4,179 in 2023 to 4,434 in 2024. The number of serious crashes increased by 5.2%, from 12,487 in 2023 to 13,134 in 2024. Minor crashes increased by 8.6% from 6,942 in 2023 to 7,539 in 2024, the report adds.