16 people have been killed in an accident on the Iganga-Bugiri highway.
Moses Muluuta, a witness to the accident, says it occurred late yesterday evening at Busobowi village in Iganga when a truck carrying more than 30 people attempted to overtake a trailer. He says the truck driver didn't see a second oncoming trailer and he rammed into it, head-on.
The truck passengers had been attending campaign rallies in Bugweri County all weekend.
Dauda Kakaire, the driver, and Mohammed Kagere, the conductor, died on the spot.
The rest of the bodies were mutilated and could not be immediately identified. They were taken to Iganga Hospital morgue.
Seven people were seriously injured in the accident. They were rushed to hospital for treatment, but the hospital didn't have the capacity to attend to them immediately. They were later taken to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital and Mulago Hospital for treatment.
Samuel Apedel, the officer in charge of Idudi Police Station, blames the accident at reckless driving. He says the truck driver attempted to overtake other cars at a spot in which he had no line of sight.
Several politicians seeking election next year have rushed to the scene to pay tribute to the dead.
Abdul Katuntu, the incumbent Bugwere MP, contributed 500,000 to meet the treatment costs of the injured. He also pledged 100,000 shillings to the families of each of the dead.
Sam Mawazi, a political assistant to Internal Affairs Minister Ali Kirunda Kivejinja, says an official message of condolence from his candidate to the families of the accident victims has been sent.
The accident in Busobowi was the third of its kind to occur in the Busoga region in four weeks. In December 13 people were killed in an accident at Namalemba village in Namutumba district when a taxi collided with a bus.
A few days before that five people died on the spot when a trailer rammed into a stationary omnibus. The accident occurred at Namasoga on the Jinja-Iganga highway.
###
