Train–bus crash paralyses traffic on Mukono–Katosi road

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A head-on crash involving a Trinity Express Ltd bus, registration number RAH 629B, and a Uganda Railway passenger train (73U32) on Thursday, August 28, at Namumira on the Katosi Road in Mukono district, paralysed traffic after the road was blocked by the locomotives.

The bus, driven by Eliud Kuria, was travelling from Nairobi to Kampala and failed to stop at the railway crossing at around 6:45am, colliding with the train operated by Henry Munyarurembo. The rear part of the bus was damaged, Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Patrick Onyango confirmed.

“The driver was arrested. The cause of the accident was overspeeding, and this can have serious consequences, and it's crucial for drivers to exercise caution and follow safety guidelines,” Onyango warned.

No one was injured or killed in the accident, Onyango added.

According to Trinity Bus conductor Alex Agaba, the bus had left Nairobi at around 4:30pm the previous day and was heading to Kigali, Rwanda.

“Jean Baptiste, the second driver who was next to him (Eliud Kuria), who was taking miraa at the time of the accident, tried to alert him to stop after hearing a train hooting, but it was too late because there was no warning of a railway crossing sign,” Agaba told New Vision.

A Uganda Railway Corporation officer taking pictures of drugs (miraa) that were allegedly taken by the bus driver before the accident. (Photo by Isaac Nuwagaba)

Over 300 passengers stranded as rail services suspended

The crash left more than 260 train passengers travelling to Kampala for work, and 43 bus passengers en route to Kigali, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo stranded.

Over 200 train passengers who had already paid for tickets demanded refunds shortly after the crash, confirmed the Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) managing director, Benon Kajuna.

“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused. The front locomotive was damaged and derailed, which necessitated the suspension of the morning train services,” Kajuna said.

Kajuna stressed the importance of adhering to traffic rules and regulations, especially at railway crossings in Kampala, Malaba, Port Bell and Nalukolongo.

Local businessman Richard Nsamba noted that this was the second train accident in a year at the same spot.

Calls for caution at railway crossings

Richard Nkunda, a principal safety and health officer who was on board the train, said some passengers lost belongings to first responders.

“A few have lost phones and bags of belongings because it was a blast which left some passengers in a fainting and unconscious mood,” he said.

Nkunda urged all road users to exercise caution when approaching railway crossings, as outlined in Regulation 13 of the Traffic and Road Safety (Rules of the Road) Regulations, 2004. He stressed that safety in railway operations is paramount.

“At every level crossing, motorists are advised to keep a distance from the line, whether a train is approaching or not. Section 41(5) of the URC Act 1992 gives a train the right of way at all level crossing,” he said.

Nkunda added that this law ensures trains and road users can coexist, noting the unique circumstances under which trains operate.

“Unique circumstances were taken into consideration under which trains operate, one of them being the inability to bring a train to a dead stop,” he advised.

Taxi driver Julius Mpande, who plies the Mukono Wantoni–Katosi route, regretted the accident, saying the roadblock forced many drivers to lose a day’s work.