Pioneer Bus knocks boy dead, residents hit back

By Innocent Anguyo

KAMPALA - Angry residents of Kyebando in Kawempe division, Kampala smashed the windows of a Pioneer Easy bus for allegedly knocking a boy dead.

Police identified the deceased as Abby Kalumba, 17, a boda boda cyclist from Namasumbi village, also in Kawempe.

According to Kanyanya traffic police boss AIP George Twinobuhamizo, the fatal accident occurred at around 11:30am on Tuesday in Kyebando.

He disclosed that the Pioneer East bus of registration number UAR 704J hit the boy dead as the driver attempted to maneuver the vehicle back on the road after off-loading passengers at a bus stop.

“The deceased was cycling from the Kyebando round-about enroute Mpererwe [a city suburb] when the bus suddenly emerged from the park and knocked him, killing him instantly,” said Twinobuhamizo.

Enraged by the incident, residents reportedly began stoning the bus, accusing the driver of intentionally killing the boy.

Some of the side windows of the bus were smashed, and the windscreen was cracked. Eye witnesses said the irate mob also attempted to torch the bus.

 “You should have witnessed the whole incident for you to understand what happened. Those angry people got stones, iron bars, petrol, paraffin and acid to destroy the bus,” said Suzan Kirabo, a witness.

The driver, conductor and all the passengers reportedly fled the bus as stones and other sharp items rained on the bus.

However, Police was quick to respond to the incident in record five minutes and disperse the angry mob before they could set the bus ablaze since the crime scene is barely a kilometre from Kanyanya police post.

Police is hunting for the driver of the bus.

Twinobuhamizo has urged members of the public to divulge information on the whereabouts of the driver in light of helping police to arrest him.

He told New Vision that once the driver is caught, he will be charged with reckless driving and thereafter arraigned in courts of law for prosecution.

“The fact that the driver knocked the boy with a bus that has brand new side mirrors is a clear manifestation that he was driving recklessly,” said Twinobuhamizo.

Efforts to reach Pioneer Easy bus company over the matter – especially identifying the driver – proved futile as the spokesperson’s phone number was off.

Police took Kalumba’s body to the City Mortuary pending post mortem. By press time, Police was yet to contact the relatives of the deceased to claim his body.