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WAKISO - The residents of Nkumba in Katabi town council, Wakiso district were still reeling from the shock of a deadly road crash when another eerily similar one occured two days later — at the exact spot.

To their relief, the latest crash on Friday claimed no life and everyone escaped with no injuries.

Only two days before, lawyer Raphael Okiot — also a lecturer at Uganda Christian University — was crashed to death when a concrete mixer truck lost control at the Nkumba traffic lights junction and tipped onto his car, killing him instantly.

This spot is located not far from Entebbe town.

A traffic officer inspecting the Toyota Premio that was involved in the accident at Nkumba traffic lights junction. (Photo by Hannington Mutabazi)

As the people in the area were still coming to terms with the mid-week tragedy, another crash happened at the same traffic lights.

This time, four vehicles were involved.

Eyewitnesses said a minibus (UAM 439N) carrying pupils on their way to tour Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (the Zoo) lost control and rammed into a Toyota Premio.

In a horrifying domino-like fashion, the smaller vehicle then knocked a Toyota Land Cruiser V8, which in turn hit a commuter taxi.

The cars had paused at the traffic lights, just like in Wednesday's tragic episode.
Here, no fatalities or injuries were recorded.

Two of the cars (taxi and Land Cruiser) drove off with minor damages; the Premio and the minibus were towed off to Entebbe Police Station, where they remain parked.

The minbus that rammed into other cars at Nkumba traffic lights junction. (Photo by Hannington Mutabazi)

A tow driver said the minibus failed to break as it hurtled down towards the traffic lights.

“The car brakes don’t work. It is in a dangerous mechanical condition,” he said.
One onlooker said the spot has become a black spot, claiming that there are no traffic officers to guide the flow of traffic.

He suggested that a traffic Police officer be deployed at the spot to control traffic and limit potential crashes.

The occupants of the involved vehicles will have breathed sighs of relief after making it out alive. Days prior, 34-year-old lawyer Okiot, described as a jolly and affable man, was not as lucky.

It emerged that he was heading to Entebbe Chief Magistrates Court when he was crashed to death at the traffic lights.

Last year, Uganda recorded a 30 percent increase in road fatalities, with 4,179 lives lost, according to the 2023 Annual Traffic and Safety Report.

The report released this year said these were an increase from 3,210 in 2022. 

The figures for serious crashes increased to 12,487 in 2023 from 8,860 in 2022. 
At least 23,608 road crashes were recorded in 2023 compared to 20,394 cases registered.