Accident Claims Two, Injures Four

May 24, 2001

Five people including parliamentary candidates' supporters and a Police officer on Tuesday died in a series of motor accidents in Masaka and Rakai districts, writes Eddie Ssejjoba.

Five people including parliamentary candidates' supporters and a Police officer on Tuesday died in a series of motor accidents in Masaka and Rakai districts, writes Eddie Ssejjoba. Several others were admitted in different hospitals in critical condition. The Masaka district Police traffic officer, Mr Sam Musisi, told The New Vision the first accident occurred at Kyabaggonya on the Masaka-Mbarara highway on Tuesday. Augustine Butuula, the Principal Development Officer in the Ministry of Gender on the spot and an unidentified lady died on the way to hospital. Butuulo who travelled in a Toyota Hilux double cabin pick-up truck was returning from Kisoro where hs brother was nominated for the parliamentary elections. The pick-up truck whose driver was trying to overtake two FUSO trucks, was involved in a head on collision with a lorry. Musisi said five other passengers including Butuulo's wife, Stella were seriously injured and admitted to Kitovu hospital. He said moments later, a speeding bus failed to stop at the scene of the accident and rammed into police sign posts, knocking dead Abdul Tubeijuka, a policeman, and injured another identified as Kanyankore. Meanwhile, Richard Otim reports that three supporters for Gabriel Opio, the Samia Bugwe parliamentary candidate on Tuesday fell off a vehicle they were travelling in sustaining serious injuries. Opio is also the State minister for Finance in-charge of planning and investment. The victims died later at a Busia-Kenya hospital and by yesterday Tuesday, their bodies were lying at Busia Police station. One of the dead was identified as Charles Onyango, a resident of Musyabo parish in Masafu county. An eyewitness said Opio's supporters who thronged the nomination venue in a convoy of 30 vehicles with others on foot went into a frenzy of jubilation immediately after their candidate was declared nominated. Ends

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