EDITOR
Police are investigating a tragic road crash that claimed three lives and injured several others on Monday morning along the Mbarara-Bushenyi highway. The accident occurred at approximately 7:35 a.m. near Mile 9 in Mbarara District.
According to Michael Kananura, the Community Liaison and Public Relations Officer for the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, the crash involved three vehicles: a Toyota Mark II (registration number UAX 318V), a Toyota Wish (UAZ 899J), and a Toyota Hiace (UBK 951Q).
The accident was triggered when the driver of the Toyota Mark II, traveling from Bushenyi towards Mbarara, lost control while attempting to avoid a pothole at Mile 9. The vehicle veered into the opposite lane, colliding head-on with an oncoming Toyota Wish. The collision resulted in the immediate deaths of two people—the driver and a passenger of the Mark II—and injured seven occupants of the Toyota Wish.
In a subsequent incident at the scene, a speeding Toyota Hiace, approaching from Bushenyi, struck one of the crash victims who was being assisted by first responders. The Hiace driver did not stop after the collision but was later apprehended at a police checkpoint in Mbarara.
Kananura confirmed that all the vehicles involved have been towed to Kashaka Police Station for inspection, as investigations continue. He attributed the accident to high speeds and the presence of a pothole on the road, urging authorities to prioritize road repairs and reminding drivers to adhere to speed limits, especially near accident scenes.
