President Museveni has ordered police to look for the Kenyan owner of the fuel tanker that is responsible for the accident that killed more than 20 people in Rubirizi last week.
A DRC bound fuel truck coming from Kenya lost control and rammed into three other vehicles before exploding and killing over 20 people who were burnt to ashes whereas many others sustained injuries.
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Condoling with locals at Kyambura Trading Centre, Museveni said according to information available, the fuel tanker was faulty before asking police to look for its owner to know whether it had comprehensive insurance so as to compensate for the loss.
“For condolences, it is government to help its people but for compensation for loss of lives and property is supposed to be made by the owner of the company. If a vehicle kills people and destroys property out of negligence you compensate,”Museveni said.
The President said the role of compensation to victims of accidents is not for government but noted theirs is to offer them assistance.
“My role is to offer assistance but compensation should be done by the vehicle owners.”
According to the President, all cars must have motor comprehensive insurance also known as third party which money is used in such scenarios to compensate victims in case of any accident.
He noted that government will have to look for details of the vehicle from the entry point at the country’s border with Kenya so that it compensates through the insurance company.
Museveni, however, warned that if it is found out that the fuel tanker was allowed to enter Uganda without comprehensive insurance, it will be police to blame for allowing this to continue.
The President also announced that each of the deceased will be paid one million shillings to each of the family that lost a member in the accident and shs5 million for the families of those injured.
“In doing this government is caring for its citizens who have lost lives and property,” Museveni said.
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He noted that the owners of businesses and houses that were lost during the accident when they caught fire will also be compensated.
In the accident that happened at around 3:30 pm last week, a fuel tanker lost control ramming into two taxis at Kyambura Trading Centre in Kicwamba Sub County, Rubirizi district before catching fire.
According to the fuel tanker’s turn-boy, Abdullah Aziz Hassan Gulamu, the vehicle got problems with its brake system before ramming into vehicles.
“We were coming from Eldoret (in Kenya) going to Butembo (North Kivu) in DR Congo carrying diesel. We got a brake problem. The driver stepped on the brake pad but if failed to work. He stepped on the brake again and the computer alarm sounded a warning,” Gulamu told journalists while on his hospital bed at Kampala International University Teaching Hospital in Bushenyi last week.
“I told him to do his best but the guy told me he has no option. It was a corner and the road was narrow. The tank got disconnected from the cabin [the part that shelters the driver and turn -boy) and fell. It hit taxis and motorcycles, and one compartment caught fire. The cabin also overturned.”
