In Uganda, Jaguar bus crash claims two Rwandan lives, injures 24 others

In Uganda, Jaguar bus crash claims two Rwandan lives, injures 24 others

A Jaguar bus travelling from Rwanda to Uganda was involved in a fatal accident in Gomba District, Uganda.

Two Rwandans, a woman and a teenager, died in the crash, while 24 others were injured. The bus driver also lost his life in the accident.

Bus overturns after driver loses control

The accident occurred on the Kajumiro Maddu-Ssembabule road, which is a narrow and winding road on Sunday, August 13. According to the police on Monday, the bus driver lost control of the vehicle, which caused it to overturn and land on its side. The bus was carrying 65 passengers, most of them Rwandans.

The police and rescue teams arrived at the scene and rushed the injured passengers to nearby hospitals. The police also recovered a firearm and ammunition from the scene.

The police spokesperson, Henry Kananura, said that the bodies of the deceased were taken to Gomba Hospital for autopsy. He also said that the bus was towed to Kanoni Police Station for inspection.

Rwandan embassy assists victims and families

The Commissioner of Police John Bosco Kabera, the spokesperson of the Rwanda National Police, confirmed the identities of the two Rwandans who died in the accident. They are Justine Nyinawumuntu, 29, a resident of Kasanda, Mubende and Gloria Kansime, 13.

Kabera said that Nyinawumuntu’s mother was among the 24 Rwandans who sustained injuries, three of them serious. He said that eight of the injured were admitted to Mengo Hospital, while 16 were at Mulago Hospital.

Kabera said that the Rwandan embassy in Kampala was looking after the injured Rwandans and the relatives of the deceased. He also expressed his condolences to the families and friends of the victims.

Accident raises concerns over road safety

The accident has raised concerns over the safety of road transport in Uganda, especially for regional travellers. The Jaguar bus company is one of the popular transportation companies that operate between Rwanda and Uganda.

The accident comes after a series of deadly road accidents involving regional transportation companies in Uganda. In December last year, six people died in a collision between a Rwandan bus and a Kenyan bus in Rukiga district. In March 2023, over 48 people were injured in a head-on collision between two Rwandan buses in Ntungamo district. In June 2023, two people, including a renowned ADEPR pastor, died in a road accident involving a bus and a car in Kabale.

The accidents have been attributed to various factors, such as poor road conditions, speeding, reckless driving, overloading and mechanical faults.