Angry residents shut down the Fort Portal-Kampala road in protest after a Fuso truck overturned, resulting in the death of one person at Katente, Kyegegwa Town Council in Kyegegwa District early on Saturday Morning.
The incident occurred around 9 am when the truck, transporting wheat from Kampala to Fort Portal, flipped as the driver tried to navigate a pothole, resulting in a fatality.
The frustrated residents took to the streets to express their anger over the poor condition of the road, filled with numerous potholes. This disruption in traffic lasted for about an hour before the police intervened to disperse the protestors.
A demonstrator, Mr. Amon Musinguzi, questioned the government’s response to the issue, stating, “We shall not accept to keep seeing our people die like this because of potholes. Can we say that the government has no money, or are they not aware that this road has many potholes?”
Ismael Rutanga, the chairperson of the Kyegegwa Taxi Drivers Association, highlighted the financial strain caused by the frequent need for repairs due to the road’s poor condition. He called on the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) to promptly address the situation, stating, “We spend much of the money and time in the garages. We want UNRA to come and repair all the potholes on this road to prevent other road crashes from happening.”
Police conveyed the deceased’s body to Kyegegwa Hospital mortuary, while the driver is currently at large.