The Minister of Works and Transport, Katumba Wamala, says the Kiryandongo accident was caused by dangerous overtaking and speeding beyond limits.
General Katumba Wamala said preliminary investigations indicate that the accident was caused by speeding and dangerous overtaking.
The Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, led by Assistant Inspector General of Police Lawrence Niwabine, visited the scene of the accident to investigate the cause. He said investigations are still ongoing.
” We call upon all motorists and road users to exercise maximum patience and responsibility on the road. No journey or deadline is worth a human life. The Ministry continues to intensify various road safety initiatives and education to curb loss of lives as a result of accidents,” Katumba said
Linos Ngompek, the Kibanda North Member of Parliament, however, blamed the accident on the narrow road, saying it’s hard for large vehicles to overtake each other.
Ngompek asked the Ministry to consider the expansion of the Kampala -Gulu highway. Residents in the area said that the scene of the accident is a hotspot and that an artist survived a crash at the same point a few days ago.
Michael Kananura, spokesperson for the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, said the Isuzu bus registration number UBF 614X attempted to overtake the Tata lorry at the scene. Simerlerly, he said another bus from the opposite direction was also attempting to overtake the Toyota Surf, leading to a head-on collision.
The drivers swerved to avoid a collision, but this resulted in a head-on and side collision, causing a chain reaction. Other vehicles lost control and overturned several times,” Kananura explained.
Dr. Geoffrey Kisembo, the Medical Superintendent of Kiryandongo Hospital, also appealed to drivers to observe traffic laws and exercise patience.
” During the Christmas season, accidents on the road tend to be rampant. Buses carry a large number of passengers, and once they are involved in accidents,w e register high numbers of fatalities and victims,” Kisembo said.
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