A police officer is among the 11 people who died in a Tuesday early morning motor crash along the Mbarara –Masaka Highway.
The crash involved a bus belonging to Kasaba Bus company which was traveling from Rukungiri to Kampala and a lorry heading from Kampala to Mbarara. The accident occurred at Karegero Town , about 4 kilometres from Lyantonde Town.
According to eyewitnesses and first responders, the crash happened at around 1:00 a.m. when the bus, registration number UAL 492H, collided with the lorry, registration number UBH 013Q.
“We heard a loud bang, and when we got to the scene, we found that the box-body lorry had rammed into the bus from behind,” an eyewitness said.
Eight people died on the spot, while three others later succumbed to their injuries at the hospital.
Among the deceased is a police officer identified as Abaho, who was attached to Mukono Police Station. Police say efforts are ongoing to establish the identities of the other victims.
The Greater Masaka Regional Police Spokesperson, Twaha Kasirye, confirmed the incident and said more details will be released as investigations continue. He added that preliminary findings suggest that overspeeding by both drivers may have contributed to the crash.
“The search for the bus driver, who is currently on the run, is ongoing to determine exactly what happened before this tragic accident,” Kasirye said.
Meanwhile, survivors were rushed to Lyantonde Hospital, where they are receiving treatment for their injuries.
Kasirye also noted that traffic police in the area have introduced snap checkpoints to curb accidents and urged passengers to remain vigilant.
“We encourage passengers to use their phones to document and report reckless drivers to the authorities, as this can help prevent such tragedies,” he said.
This latest incident brings the number of people who have lost their lives in road accidents along the Masaka highway to 15 during the ongoing festive season.