Two die, 26 seriously injured in Mabira accident

PIC: Doctors at Kawolo Hospital working on one of the injured persons. (Credit: Donald Kiirya)

FATAL ROAD ACCIDENT IN MABIRA

BUIKWE- A Coaster bus has overturned several times in Mabira forest, Najjembe division in Buikwe district along the Jinja-Kampala highway killing two people on the spot and injuring 26. 

The accident, which occurred near a picnic site near Mabira Police Station today morning, involved a coaster bus registration number UAP 281U that was carrying passengers from Jinja to Kampala.  

According to Sylvia Aligema, a resident of Bweyogerere in Kampala, who was travelling in the same Coaster bus from Jinja to Bweyogerere, said the driver Adam Kiirya a.k.a Mukafiiri was driving at a high speed.

Aligema, who boarded the Coaster at 10:00am at the Jinja tax park, added that passengers started complaining and cautioning the driver to reduce on speed, but in vain.  

"Despite passengers complaining about the high speed, the driver kept on increasing it, while overtaking several vehicles in order to join in his line and while we reached close to the picnic site after Mabira Police Station, he lost control and the vehicle overturned," Aligema, who was at Kawolo hospital narrated. 

She added that after realising that he (driver) had lost control, he kept on telling passers that he was sorry as they entered a thicket in the forest. 

Hellen Butoto, the Police spokesperson in Ssezibwa region, confirmed to journalists at Lugazi Police Station on Monday that the driver of the Coaster lost control and it swerved off the road causing it to overturn several times.

She attributed the cause of the accident to reckless driving, negligence, indiscipline and over speeding. 

She confirmed that two people died on spot, three were critically injured and over twenty were seriously injured. 

Butoto identified the two as Sam Mawogoli, a 35-year old resident of Jinja and Adam Kiirya a.k.a Mukafiiri who was the driver of the Coaster. The bodies are at Kawolo hospital mortuary.  

She said three people who were in a critical condition and had broken limbs and arms were referred to Mulago hospital and these included Peninah Byemire a resident of Njeru, Yusuf Balaba from Mubende and Jude Opio. 

Butoto said that among those seriously injured included; George Mukisa from Mayuge, Sylvia Aligema of Bweyogerere, Eseza Mamogere, Rashida Nabirye, Teddy Kyokutungi of Luwero, Fauza Nakayima of Buyende, Francis Mugambe of Jinja, Henry Kavuma and Juma Janja a resident of Bugembe. 

Butoto cautioned drivers against driving recklessly while on the Jinja-Kampala highway. 

She said said operations to curb reckless drivers will be strengthened and whoever will be arrested will face courts of law. 

Haruna Wamala, the Kawoolo hospital administrator, said doctors were working tirelessly to bandage the rest of the victims that were injured.