A tragic road accident occurred last night in Bugiri District, Eastern Uganda, claiming at least 12 lives and injuring six others. The collision occurred around 10 pm in Lwaba Village, Kapyanga Sub-county, along the busy Jinja–Malaba highway, involving a commuter taxi and a trailer.
Police reported on Monday that a Toyota Hiace taxi traveling from Kampala to Tororo collided with a trailer carrying a container from Malaba. The Busoga East Region spokesperson, Mr Michael Kafayo, suggested that a speeding motorcyclist attempting to overtake one of the vehicles may have contributed to the crash. The motorcycle, moving in the same direction as the taxi, lost control while trying to pass, causing the oncoming trailer to swerve. The trailer then lost control, and its container detached, striking the taxi.
Six people, including the trailer driver, sustained injuries and were admitted to Bugiri Hospital. At the scene, several unidentified adults, including the taxi driver, were found dead, along with two individuals believed to have been on the motorcycle, discovered under the overturned container. By Monday afternoon, police were still working to clear the wreckage, and investigations into the exact cause of the crash were ongoing.
The deceased were taken to Bugiri Hospital mortuary for postmortem examinations. Dr Anthony Wamusu, the Medical Superintendent at Bugiri Main Hospital, reported that four patients in critical condition were transferred to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, leaving only one patient at their facility.
According to the latest police annual crime report, road crashes in 2024 increased by 6.4 percent, with 25,107 incidents compared to the previous year. Casualties also rose by 4.4 percent, totaling 25,808 in 2024 compared to 24,728 in 2023. The report highlighted that the highest number of crashes, 3,780, occurred between 6:00 pm and 7:59 pm, with 894 fatal incidents recorded during the same time frame.
