Reckless driving has been cited as the cause of an accident in which 9 people were killed along the Masaka-Mbarara highway on Wednesday evening.
The accident involved a trailer truck registration RAF 168S/RL 1426 and passenger Taxi number UBJ 084N which occurred at the Kagganda junction in Kinoni Town council in Lwengo district.
Eyewitnesses say the trailer which was moving towards Mbarara lost control before it hit a fully loaded passenger taxi, which overturned and also rammed into another private car registration number UAP 126A Toyata Mark II that was traveling towards Masaka.
According to Richard Komaketch the Greater Masaka Regional Traffic Police Commander, the accident is blamed on over speeding by the trailer driver who he said failed to control the truck after suffering one of the rear side tyres burst.
He noted that the trailer lost control and crossed over to the lane of on-coming vehicles before colliding with cars in the opposite direction. Komaketch says the Police team is yet to identify all the dead, indicating that they are still waiting for the relatives to show up at the Masaka Regional Referral hospital mortuary to help in police in the process.
However, Ronald Mwesigye one of the survivors currently admitted at the Masaka Hospital Emergency Ward says he had boarded the Taxi with two other family members at Mbarara on the way from Kitagata-Kibanda in Sheema district and they were headed for Kampala. He identifies the victims as Darlington Mwesigye- his father and Kissa Mwesigye who he says died on spot.
Dr. Muhammad Nsubuga, the in-charge of the Accident Ward at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, reveals that they received 14 causalities that included nine males, five females, and a two-year child who are still undergoing treatment to save their lives.
The admitted causalities according to the hospital patients' manifest are; Babirye Kembabazi, Darlington Mwesigwa, Robert Naume, Rinah Akankunda, Alex Ahimbisibwe, Enzo Mugume, Enock Katambuka, Christopher Mutumba, Winnie Nabajju, Isma Adam, Eva Tukunsave and Edgar Mugume.
