A devastating road crash on Wednesday evening at Kawanda-Kagoma in Nansana Division, Wakiso District, has claimed the lives of seven people. The crash involved a truck traveling from Kampala to Bombo, which lost control and collided with multiple vehicles and a motorcycle.
According to Traffic Police Spokesperson, Superintendent of Police (SP) Michael Kananura, the initial death toll was five, with 21 injured. However, a visit to Mulago City Mortuary revealed that seven bodies had been received.
The victims identified so far include Musa Kawesa, Asima Sanyu, Eric Bazale, and Christine Nyamutoka, 57. Two unidentified males and one female remain unclaimed.
Christine Nyamutoka’s brother, Mr. David Rabwoni, described the tragic events surrounding her death. “We parted ways around 7 pm, but she kept saying goodbye and wouldn’t let go; at about 8:30 pm, I began receiving strange calls from someone using her phone, saying she had been in a crash and had died.”
Nyamutoka had been preparing for her daughter’s graduation from Ndejje University, which was scheduled for Friday. She leaves behind three children and her husband, Mr. Fredrick Naduli.
The crash has sparked concerns about road safety, with Mr. Rabwoni calling for restrictions on truck movements. “Other countries regulate truck movements, assigning them specific lanes,” he said.
Eyewitnesses disputed the official death toll, alleging that more bodies had been taken to the mortuary than police reported. A mortuary attendant clarified that bodies from a fire at a Kampala hotel and a case of sudden death had also been received that night.
The crash site has been described as a notorious black spot, prone to accidents due to its location and potholed road. Mr. Maurice Kwizera, a cobbler, noted that “sometimes, in trying to avoid a pothole, they veer off the road.”
According to the 2024 Annual Crime Report, police recorded 25,107 road traffic crashes in 2024, reflecting a 6.4 percent increase from 2023. The report highlights the need for improved road safety measures to prevent such tragic incidents.
