Editor
A 28-year-old woman and her three-year-old child, who tragically died in a Gateway bus accident along the Mbarara-Masaka Highway, have been laid to rest in Kisoro District.
Daphoroza Byiringiro, a resident of Gakoro Village in Rwimgwe Parish, Nyakabande Sub-county, Kisoro District, and her 3-year-old son, Rion Manzi, a pupil in the baby class at Rwingwe Primary School, were among the seven victims of the accident that occurred early Monday morning.
The crash involved a Gateway bus traveling from Kisoro to Kampala, which collided with a Fuso truck carrying bags of maize flour at Kitumba village in Kyazanga District. Seven people lost their lives in the incident, while several others sustained critical injuries.
Daphoroza, who worked at Cope Centenary Services in Kololo, Kampala, had returned to Kisoro District to bring her children home for the holidays. The send-off Mass at St. Mary’s Rambura Catholic Church in Nyakabande Sub-county was an emotional event, with thousands of mourners in attendance.
During the requiem Mass, Rev. Fr. Jeremias Nsabamina, the Assistant Parish Priest of Gatete Catholic Parish, urged the mourners to avoid domestic violence, emphasizing that such behavior would bar them from inheriting God’s kingdom.
In related news, the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety is actively investigating a viral video that shows a Gateway bus recklessly overtaking on a corner. SP Micheal Kananura, the Community Liaison Officer and Public Relations Officer, stated that the directorate is working closely with Gateway bus management to identify the bus and the driver involved. Although the timing of the video is unclear, it gained widespread attention following the recent Kyazanga crash. Kananura condemned such dangerous driving, which endangers both passengers and other road users.
He expressed gratitude to the public for reporting traffic violations on social media and encouraged timely reporting with clear details, including the number plates, time, and location of the incident.
“Our investigation is ongoing, and we will provide updates soon. We urge all drivers to exercise extreme caution when overtaking and to prioritize road safety,” he said.
