9 perish in Iganga accident

Relatives camped at Iganga Hospital looking for their relatives. Photo by Moses Bikala

ACCIDENT    IGANGA   SPEEDING   PASTOR KAKANDE

Nine people have died and 12 are critically injured after an accident at Wandago trading centre on Jinja-Iganga highway.

The accident happened at around 12:30 am a coaster bus registration number UAT 672Q, heading to Iganga collided with another coaster registration number UAM 775L, heading to Kampala.

The victims of the latter coaster heading to Kampala are said to have been going for prayers at Pastor Samuel Kakande's church in Kampala.

Some of the injured were rushed to Jinja Hospital with broken legs, limbs and multiple wounds on their bodies.

According to one of the survivors, Joshua Musenze, the driver of the coaster heading to Iganga was speeding and despite pleas from passengers, he kept reminding them that he wanted to make a return journey to Kampala.

The eyewitness says the accident happened when he attempted to overtake a trailer.

Rashid Balabweyo, a relative to one of the deceased said her sister a born-again Christian left home at 6:00pm heading to church in Kampala.

The deceased was accompanied by three of her children to attend prayers at Pastor Kakande's church.

However, the children escaped death and are now admitted at Iganga Hospital. Because they were playing and making noise, they had been sent at the back.

Abdulrazak Nyonjo, 7, said: "Our mother complained that were making noise and we decided to change positions and sat at the back."

The chairman Iganga hospital management committee, Sam Obiiraa, consoled the the families of the bereaved.

All the above are residents of Busei B village in Nakalama sub-county Iganga district.

Nyonjo says he first heard a loud bang and later heard people wailing at the top of their voices asking for help.

Hundreds of people turned up at the Iganga Hospital mortuary looking for their loved ones.

Wandago trading centre, known for brewing crude waragi along the Jinja-Iganga hihway, is a black spot that has witnessed many accidents.

The acting regional traffic officer East Busoga, Rogers Nandege, said investigations are underway establish the exact cause of the accident.

He, however said preliminary investigations indicated that it was a result of speeding, besides recklessness on both drivers.

 

The wreckage of the two vehicles were by towed to Musita police post.