On Saturday, April 13, 2024, a devastating road accident on Entebbe Road resulted in the loss of four lives, with two others sustaining injuries. The victims, all students of Buganda Royal Institute, were en route to Katomi Beach for a gathering in Garuga when tragedy struck, as their vehicle collided with a lorry while allegedly attempting to overtake another vehicle.
The fatal incident occurred around 3:30 pm and involved a Toyota Rumion bearing registration number UBH 582S and a Fuso truck. According to Michael Kananura, spokesperson for the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, the students’ vehicle collided with the parked Fuso truck, which was unloading sodas, after the truck driver lost control.
Prompt response teams rushed the injured to Kisubi Hospital for urgent medical attention, while the deceased were transported to Mulago Hospital mortuary. Kananura confirmed that investigations into the cause of the accident had commenced to ascertain the circumstances leading to the tragic collision.
As of the time of reporting, the wreckage of the vehicles involved had been moved to Kisubi Police Station for further examination and documentation. This step is crucial for ongoing investigations and legal proceedings related to the incident.
The unfortunate incident highlights the ongoing road safety challenges in Uganda, with a significant increase in road fatalities recorded in recent years. According to the 2023 Annual Traffic and Safety Report, Uganda witnessed a 30 percent rise in road fatalities reported to the police in 2023 compared to the previous year, totaling 4,179 lives lost.
The report also revealed a surge in serious crashes, with figures escalating from 8,860 in 2022 to 12,487 in 2023. Moreover, the total number of recorded road crashes climbed to 23,608 in 2023, up from 20,394 cases documented in the preceding year.
