A tragic accident occurred on the Kampala-Jinja Road in Buikwe district, resulting in the death of a senior military officer from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF). The collision involved three vehicles and took place within the confines of Mabira forest in the afternoon.
Maj. Nsamba Habib Katakabire, aged 54, was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser (UBQ 424N) towards Jinja from Kampala when the accident happened. According to reports from the police, the collision was a head-on impact with a trailer, causing severe damage to Katakabire’s vehicle. The force of the collision also caused Katakabire’s vehicle to collide with another car, a Toyota Corona Premio (UBP 411L), driven by Police Constable Isaac Kayondo.
Details provided by the Ssezibwa region Police spokesperson, Hellen Butoto, revealed that the trailer, driven by Muhammad Kasozi, was heading in the opposite direction. While the exact sequence of events leading to the crash remains unverified independently, it is reported that Katakabire was overtaking vehicles when he collided with the oncoming trailer.
The collision resulted in the tragic loss of Major Katakabire’s life at the scene of the accident. Both Kasozi, the driver of the trailer, and Kayondo, the driver of the third vehicle, survived the crash. Kasozi sustained injuries and was rushed to Kawolo Hospital in Lugazi for immediate medical attention.
The aftermath of the accident saw the smaller vehicles, severely damaged, being towed to Mabira Police Station for further inspection. Additionally, the trailer, which had tipped over from the impact, required assistance from a crane to be set upright again.
Investigations into the incident have been initiated by the authorities. This unfortunate event adds to the concerning statistics of road accidents in Uganda. According to the 2023 Annual Traffic and Safety Report, there was a significant increase in road fatalities compared to the previous year, with 4,179 lives lost in 2023. The report also highlights an increase in serious crashes and overall recorded road accidents, indicating a pressing need for enhanced road safety measures.
