Family of 5 drowns after car plunges into Kacheera River

Shock gripped residents of Buyanja village in Lyantonde district after a family of five drowned in River Kacheera. 

The incident happened around 9:30pm on Thursday at Kacheera-Lyantonde Bridge about 5 kilometers from Lyantonde town. 

The car registration number UAR 548H in which they were travelling veered off the bridge into the river and all the members aboard died. 

The deceased have been identified as George Magonde (70) a prominent landlord in Kacheera trading centre, his wife Faidi Kakibimba (61), together with their in-laws namely Kate Kyomugasho (35), Annet Kamazaare (41) and Betty Mwesigye (45). 

They were returning from wedding in Kyabazaala, Lyantonde district, heading to Kacheera in Rakai district when the accident occurred.

Eyewitnesses said that Magonde tried to evade big rocks in the middle of the bridge when he lost control of the car. They all got trapped in the car that sunk in the waters about 4 to 5 feet deep.  

Area residents turned up later and retrieved the bodies. Police was called to the scene and took them to Lyantonde mortuary. 

Richard Bamwine, the Lyantonde traffic officer, confirmed the incident saying it happened accidentally. 

He advised the Lyantonde-Kacheera Road users to be careful while crossing the bridge. 

He explained that the bridge was damaged by torrential rainfall that has occurred in the recent past. He said they are investigating the matter.

He added this isn't the first incident to occur along the road since the year begun. 

At least a total of 13 people have died in fatal accidents at the bridge since May 2016. 

On 19 May 2016, six family members died in a road accident at Namajuzi swamp near Kyabakuza, Masaka-Mbarara highway. 

The family was travelling in a Toyota Corona car registration number UAG 121L when it rammed head on into a Toyota Fuso UAV 177K killing all six instantly. 

Barely two days later, two people died in another accident that occurred at Kabarungi trading centre.