Two dead, eight hospitalised after drunken driver rams into two lorries

Jun 05, 2018

Fred Kalogo, 25, who the Police confirmed was drunk, caused the nasty accident at Namayira trading centre, about eight kilometres along Kamuli-Jinja Road.

PIC: One of the lorries involved in the accident. (Credit: Tom Gwebayanga) 

ROAD ACCIDENT

KAMULI- A drunken lorry driver in Kamuli district caused commotion in the busy trading centre on Sunday, when he rammed into two lorries, injuring 10 people, two of whom died after reaching different health facilities.

Fred Kalogo, 25, who  the Police confirmed was drunk, caused the nasty accident at Namayira trading centre, about eight kilometres along Kamuli-Jinja Road.

The lorry, registration number UAM 547 Q, was distributing coffee and cocoa seedlings of the Operation Wealth Creation (OWEC) project.

The accident occurred when the speeding  lorry lost control after hitting a hump, before ramming into an oncoming Tata lorry, registration number UAA 681C which was loaded with 230 bags of sugar from Kamuli Sugar Factory. 

It then hit a stationary fuel tanker, registration number UAL 232X which had parked on the opposite side.

The residents then rushed  in a guise of helping the victims and started looting the sugar, calling it a golden chance  and shouting "Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar," and by the time the Police arrived  to intervene, only 30 bags of Sugar were left.

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 Tumwesigye, one of the survivors, undergoing treatment at Kamuli General Hospital  

Ten people sustained injuries and were rushed to Kamuli General Hospital and other health facilities, where two of them were announced dead.


Police identified the dead as Paul Muwanga, a resident of Nsuube, Jinja district and one Lubogo.

Those undergoing treatment include Mukose, Edward and Moses Tumwesigye. Tumwesigye told Police that by the time the accident occurred, the eight occupants in the cabin of the monster lorry, had asked Kalogo to hand over the steering wheel to another person, because he was drunk.

The Police Spokesperson for Busoga North, Michael Kasadha, confirmed the accident and warned motorists against the vice of driving while drunk.

The District Traffic Officer, Dickson Tweheyo, tested Kalogo's alcohol content while on his bed in Kamuli General hospital and established that  the content was as high as 21.7.

Last week, 23 people died in a crash that was caused by a speeding Gaaga bus at Kiryandongo, when it hit a tractor and a trailer. 

Dickson Tweheyo, a traffice officer, uses the breathalyser to establish Kalogo's alcohol content. (Credit: Tom Bwebayanga) 

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