One dead, four injured as lorry rams into building

Feb 25, 2016

This is the third time a similar incident is occurring at the same building

Chris Mugasha                         

One person died while four others survived with injuries when a lorry rammed into a building at St Kaggwa trading centre in Bushenyi district.

The incident took place Thursday morning along the Bushenyi-Kasese highway when the driver of the lorry was trying to dogde a speeding boda-boda cyclist who was riding recklessly, according to police.

"It was almost a head on collision," said regional police commander Micheal Musani.

Musani said as the lorry driver tried to save the lives of those who were on a boda-boda (motorcycle) he ended up ramming into the building.

Nelson Abaho, 27, a resident of St Kagwa who was a passenger on the motorcycle, reg. No.UEG 809E died shortly after at Kampala International University teaching hospital in Ishaka town where he had been rushed together with others.

A pregnant woman identified as Mpirirwe Jackline narrated how she saw run out of her shop as the lorry headed in her direction.

Unfortunately the side she took is where the lorry plunged. It crushed her leaving the intestines out.

Musani said she was rushed to Kampala International University teaching hospital in Ishaka where she was operated on and the young pregnancy removed. "We pray that she does not lose the life," Musani said.

It took almost an hour for the well wishers who rushed to the scene to extract the lorry driver, Kakembo Badru, 43, a resident of Kabusu in Kampala and his turn boy, Ivan Mweruka, from the wreckage before they were rushed to the same hospital.

Others who are admitted are the boda-boda rider Twinomugisha Geofrey, 32, from Kabale district but staying in Kakanju Sub County in Bushenyi district; Karungi Juma, 17 andMugenyi Vincent, 33, from Kyazanga in Rwengo district who were passengers on the lorry, and a pedestrian, Koruearo Deziranta, 75, a resident of Nyabicerere cell in Bushenyi municipality.

This is the third time a similar incident is occurring at the same building.

"We may need to establish the cause," regional traffic officer Rodgers Nadege explained.

Musani said the developers on the affected street encroached on the road reserve. Nadege said they are investigating to find out who caused the accident.

Richard Kyada, a taxi driver, blamed the accident on the failure by government and police to establish a driving school to train boda-boda cyclists/riders.

"Somebody sells land, buys a motorcycle to begin boda-boda business without knowing how to use the road," Kyada said.

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