A tragic incident occurred on the Kampala-Masaka Road on Saturday, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to several others due to a bus overturning.
The unfortunate victim was Cissy Nabadda, a pedestrian from Butende Village in Masaka District. She was hit by the bus and died instantly at the scene.
The mishap took place at Mpugwe Village. The bus, owned by Global Coaches and registered under UAZ 809X, was en route to Mbarara from Kampala. The driver lost control of the vehicle while trying to evade a stationary trailer with the registration CG 01493AC parked by the roadside.
The bus driver, Hamidu Ggombe, tried to steer clear of the Congolese truck, hit Nabadda, and subsequently, the bus toppled over into the road reserve. Following the accident, Ggombe absconded from the scene and his location is currently unknown. According to John Mukiibi, a witness, Ggombe escaped on a boda-boda after the accident.
Survivors of the accident shared distressing experiences, attributing the collision to Ggombe’s reckless driving. They described the event as happening very quickly, with the bus swerving and colliding with the truck before they could comprehend what was happening. They claimed that despite their warnings about the bus’s speed, Ggombe did not heed them. While some were fortunate enough to survive, others were not.
The injured, whose exact count is yet to be determined, were transported to Masaka Regional Referral Hospital for treatment.
Twaha Kasirye, the Southern Region Police spokesperson, stated that the accident was primarily caused by reckless driving. He added that police are currently investigating the incident, but initial reports suggest that Ggombe’s reckless driving led to the accident. The police are on the lookout for Ggombe, who will face charges of reckless driving, causing death, and fleeing the scene of an accident.