NEWS– One person has been confirmed dead, others are nursing injuries in a tragic incident that occurred on the Kampala-Masaka Road on Saturday.
The unfortunate victim was Cissy Nabadda, a pedestrian from Butende Village in Masaka District who met her death after the bus overturned.
Nabadda was hit by the bus and died instantly at the scene in a mishap that took place at Mpugwe Village involving a bus, owned by Global Coaches, registered under UAZ 809X, that was enroute to Mbarara from Kampala.
Information obtained by this repoter indicates that the driver lost control of the vehicle while trying to evade a stationary trailer with the registration CG 01493AC parked by the roadside.
It’s alleged that as the bus driver, Hamidu Ggombe, tried to steer clear of the Congolese truck, the hit Nabadda, and subsequently toppled over into the road reserve. Following the accident, Ggombe absconded from the scene and his location is currently unknown.
According to John Mukiibi, a witness, Ggombe escaped on a boda-boda after the accident.
Survivors of the accident shared distressing experiences, attributing the collision to Ggombe’s reckless driving. They described the event as happening very quickly, with the bus swerving and colliding with the truck before they could comprehend what was happening. The survivors claimed that despite their warnings about the bus’s speed, Ggombe did not heed them. While some were fortunate enough to survive, others were not.
The injured, whose exact count is yet to be determined, were transported to Masaka Regional Referral Hospital for treatment.
Twaha Kasirye, the Southern Region Police spokesperson told the press that the accident was primarily caused by reckless driving adding that Police are currently investigating the incident, but initial reports suggest that Ggombe’s reckless driving led to the accident.
The police have already mounted a hunt for Ggombe, who will face charges of reckless driving, causing death, and fleeing the scene of an accident.
