A devastating accident claimed three lives and left at least seven others critically injured when a sugarcane-laden truck overturned at Nawanyago Trading Centre along the Jinja-Kamuli Highway in Kamuli District on the evening of May 7, 2025. The incident, which occurred around 5pm, involved a Tata truck, registration number UBM 106Q, transporting sugarcane from Kamuli to Jinja.
The driver lost control, causing the vehicle to overturn and crush several passengers riding atop the sugarcane pile. The deceased were Nicholas Koozala, 25, from Itukulu–Bukaya Zone in Nawanyago Sub-county; Derick Kibikyo, 16, from Bukula Village, Nawanyago; and Asad Ssajjabi, 26, from Buwolero–Mawolero Zone in Buwenge Rural, Jinja District. Seven others, seriously injured, were rushed to medical facilities, their identities undisclosed at the time of reporting.
Preliminary investigations revealed the truck was heavily overloaded, with victims precariously seated on the sugarcane, a widespread but illegal practice in the Busoga sub-region’s sugarcane transport industry. The driver fled the scene and remains at large, with police launching a manhunt to apprehend him.
This tragedy highlights a recurring issue of fatal accidents involving sugarcane trucks in eastern Uganda, particularly in Busoga, where safety protocols are often ignored. Young, unprotected riders are commonly seen clinging to overloaded vehicles, sometimes holding only a sugarcane stalk for support. Local leaders and police have urged stricter enforcement of road safety measures, emphasizing that preventable tragedies persist due to transporters flouting basic standards. Authorities vowed to hold violators accountable, stressing that those disregarding traffic laws will face severe consequences.
Efforts to regulate sugarcane transport have faltered due to lax enforcement, collusion between operators and local authorities, and the urgency to deliver cane to factories before spoilage. Civil society groups have long criticized the lack of accountability following such crashes. Residents of Nawanyago noted this was not the first accident on this stretch, expressing frustration over the persistent speeding and overloading of sugarcane trucks, which continue to claim lives.
Emergency services worked to clear the wreckage, while the truck was impounded at Nawanyago Police Post for ongoing investigations. Police reiterated their call for transporters to prioritize safety over profit, as the community mourns the loss and supports those fighting for recovery in hospitals.
