One dead, several injured in taxi accident

By Ashraf Saif-llah Kasirye

A child is reported dead and several people are treating severe injuries following an accident that occurred in Wakiso town along Hoima Road Tuesday morning.

The dead child was on a boda boda with its mother and another sibling when the taxi hit them. The child is reported to have died on arrival at Mulago hospital where they had been rushed.

According to a traffic officer at the scene, Corporal Bulya, the taxi was carrying more than the 14 people and when the driver spotted two traffic officers before him, he decided to over speed at a hump, causing the taxi to lose control.

The taxi, registration number UAQ 806H, veered off the road as its driver, identified only as Samuel of Wakiso taxi park, tried to flee from the traffic officers who had flagged him down.

Eyewitnesses say he knocked a boda boda cyclist who was carrying a mother and her two babies.

Wakiso DPC Benerd Katwalo blamed the accident on reckless driving.

"We are still investigating the cause of the accident and also searching for the driver who took off," he added.

Most of the passengers in the taxi were rushed to hospital by police, while others went by themselves.