4 dead, 45 injured in Matugga crash
Nov 18, 2010
IN the small corridor, dozens of people lay on the bare dusty floor with their drips, while others bled profusely. Groans filled the building as several others cried out for the few medics to attend to them.
By Francis Kagolo,
David Labeja
and Nacy Obita
IN the small corridor, dozens of people lay on the bare dusty floor with their drips, while others bled profusely. Groans filled the building as several others cried out for the few medics to attend to them.
This was the situation at the casualty ward of Mulago Hospital, where over 45 victims of yesterday morning accident on Bombo Road were rushed.
Three people died on the spot when their Kampala-bound bus overturned at Kakerenge town near Matugga at 5:00am.
The 59-seater passenger bus, registration number UAL 821N, belonging to Acan Adiro Company, had left Lira Bus park at 1:00am for Kampala.
Survivors and witnesses said the vehicle overturned thrice after the driver, Orech Jogo, failed to negotiate a sharp corner. Kakerenge is a notorious black spot that claims dozens of lives every year.
Police identified the dead as Geoffrey Anyuru, 40, and Nelson Orech, both businessmen in Lira and Justus Okello, the country deputy director of Medical Teams International, a global charity dealing in community health.
Their bodies were taken to the City Mortuary in Kampala.
The other 40, including the driver, were admitted to Mulago Hospital, where they were rushed at 6:40am by another bus belonging to Mawenzi Company, which was also travelling to Kampala.
By yesterday afternoon, eight of the victims had been referred to the Surgical Ward (3D), while a few, who had minor injuries, had been discharged.
Survivors attributed the accident to speeding and reckless driving. There were also allegations that the driver was drunk.
“The bus was running at over 150km per hour. When we reached Kakerenge, the driver lost control. The bus seemed to be falling on his side, but he steered it to the left. It overturned several times,†Pike Okello, a survivor, said.
Nelson Adea, who was travelling on Mawenzi bus said the driver was speeding. “He overtook our bus at a very sharp corner in Matugga. He lost control while trying to overtake another vehicle.â€
Another survivor, Julius Oruk, 37, said it was a miracle they reached Luweero because a few moments after taking off, the driver swerved off the road and nearly hit pedestrians at Santasolo in Lira town.
“We warned him right from the start but he just ignored us. He was drunk,†said Oruk.
“Bus drivers are adamant. Whenever we warn them, they brag about being experienced and that we are mere passengers who don’t know how to drive.â€
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Ibin Ssenkumbi said they could not arrest the driver since he was in a critical condition.
Regional traffic statistics indicate that Uganda has the highest number of people dying in road accidents in the Great Lakes region, which includes Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
A Police report presented to Parliament last year indicates that the deaths have been rising from 778 in 1990 to 2,034 in 2004, while road accidents rose to 19,528 in 2006 from 5,674 in 1990.
The statistics also show that road accidents have killed about 21,807 people since 2000, while another 120,121 people have been injured.
The works ministry commissioner for transport regulations, Patrick Sanya, said then that accidents cost the country over sh333b annually.
This includes losses like the cost of the vehicles, medical bills and loss of income and property.
Speeding and reckless/drunk driving are the leading cause of accidents, Police say.
Boda boda cyclists are said to be the leading direct cause of accidents, accounting for 70% of all major fatal accidents.
Drivers’ fatigue is also blamed for accidents among buses plying long distance routes. There is a law that requires such vehicles to be fitted with speed governors to reduce speed, but it is being undermined by inadequate enforcement.
David Labeja
and Nacy Obita
IN the small corridor, dozens of people lay on the bare dusty floor with their drips, while others bled profusely. Groans filled the building as several others cried out for the few medics to attend to them.
This was the situation at the casualty ward of Mulago Hospital, where over 45 victims of yesterday morning accident on Bombo Road were rushed.
Three people died on the spot when their Kampala-bound bus overturned at Kakerenge town near Matugga at 5:00am.
The 59-seater passenger bus, registration number UAL 821N, belonging to Acan Adiro Company, had left Lira Bus park at 1:00am for Kampala.
Survivors and witnesses said the vehicle overturned thrice after the driver, Orech Jogo, failed to negotiate a sharp corner. Kakerenge is a notorious black spot that claims dozens of lives every year.
Police identified the dead as Geoffrey Anyuru, 40, and Nelson Orech, both businessmen in Lira and Justus Okello, the country deputy director of Medical Teams International, a global charity dealing in community health.
Their bodies were taken to the City Mortuary in Kampala.
The other 40, including the driver, were admitted to Mulago Hospital, where they were rushed at 6:40am by another bus belonging to Mawenzi Company, which was also travelling to Kampala.
By yesterday afternoon, eight of the victims had been referred to the Surgical Ward (3D), while a few, who had minor injuries, had been discharged.
Survivors attributed the accident to speeding and reckless driving. There were also allegations that the driver was drunk.
“The bus was running at over 150km per hour. When we reached Kakerenge, the driver lost control. The bus seemed to be falling on his side, but he steered it to the left. It overturned several times,†Pike Okello, a survivor, said.
Nelson Adea, who was travelling on Mawenzi bus said the driver was speeding. “He overtook our bus at a very sharp corner in Matugga. He lost control while trying to overtake another vehicle.â€
Another survivor, Julius Oruk, 37, said it was a miracle they reached Luweero because a few moments after taking off, the driver swerved off the road and nearly hit pedestrians at Santasolo in Lira town.
“We warned him right from the start but he just ignored us. He was drunk,†said Oruk.
“Bus drivers are adamant. Whenever we warn them, they brag about being experienced and that we are mere passengers who don’t know how to drive.â€
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Ibin Ssenkumbi said they could not arrest the driver since he was in a critical condition.
Regional traffic statistics indicate that Uganda has the highest number of people dying in road accidents in the Great Lakes region, which includes Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
A Police report presented to Parliament last year indicates that the deaths have been rising from 778 in 1990 to 2,034 in 2004, while road accidents rose to 19,528 in 2006 from 5,674 in 1990.
The statistics also show that road accidents have killed about 21,807 people since 2000, while another 120,121 people have been injured.
The works ministry commissioner for transport regulations, Patrick Sanya, said then that accidents cost the country over sh333b annually.
This includes losses like the cost of the vehicles, medical bills and loss of income and property.
Speeding and reckless/drunk driving are the leading cause of accidents, Police say.
Boda boda cyclists are said to be the leading direct cause of accidents, accounting for 70% of all major fatal accidents.
Drivers’ fatigue is also blamed for accidents among buses plying long distance routes. There is a law that requires such vehicles to be fitted with speed governors to reduce speed, but it is being undermined by inadequate enforcement.