Tragedy struck on Saturday as a bus overturned on the Kampala-Masaka Road, resulting in the death of Ms. Cissy Nabadda from Butende Village in Masaka District. Several others sustained injuries in the accident.
The fatal incident occurred at Mpugwe Village when the driver of the bus, identified as Hamidu Ggombe, lost control while trying to avoid a stationary trailer parked on the roadside.
The bus, belonging to Global Coaches with registration UAZ 809X and heading to Mbarara from Kampala, swerved to avoid the trailer, struck Ms. Nabadda, and overturned into the road reserve.
Eyewitnesses reported that Ggombe fled the scene after the accident.
“After causing the accident, he ran away on a boda-boda,” said John Mukiibi, a witness.
Survivors recounted harrowing details, attributing the collision to reckless driving on Ggombe’s part.
“It all happened so fast,” one survivor said. “The bus was swerving, and before we knew it, we had hit the truck.”
“The bus was speeding, and we warned the driver several times, but he didn’t listen,” another survivor, who wished to remain anonymous, added. “We were lucky to survive, but others weren’t so fortunate.”
The injured were rushed to Masaka Regional Referral Hospital. However, the exact number of injured could not be immediately established.
Twaha Kasirye, Southern Region Police spokesperson, attributed the accident to reckless driving.
“We are still investigating, but preliminary reports indicate that the bus driver was driving recklessly, leading to the accident,” Kasirye said. “We are hunting for the driver, and he will face charges of reckless driving, causing death, and fleeing the scene of an accident.”
Kasirye appealed to the public to help locate the driver, ensuring justice for the victims and their families.
“This is a wake-up call for all of us to prioritize safety on our roads,” Kasirye emphasized. “We can’t continue to lose lives due to reckless driving and negligence.”
The incident sparked debate about the need for stricter regulations on public transport and the importance of driver training and accountability.
“This could have been avoided, but negligence has cost someone their life,” said Bazadde Kaweesa, the Bukulula Subcounty chairperson.
