Police officer, five family members perish in Masaka road accident

A police officer and five of his family members  with whom he was travelling in a vehicle have perished in a Saturday morning accident along Masaka road involving a Toyota Wish and a Fuso truck.

The accident according to Traffic Police spokesperson, Faridah Nampiima happened at around 4:30am when a Toyota Wish registration number UBE 756C was involved in head on collision with a Fuso truck registration number UBH 902U travelling from Masaka to Kampala at  Kyarushowe swamp along the Masaka- Kampala highway.

"The cause of the accident has been attributed to the driver of the Toyota Wish who left his lane and moved to the lane of the Fuso causing a head on collision killing five people who were all occupants in the Toyota Wish,"Nampiima said.

"The occupants have been identified as NO. 65577 PC Bwesigye Cleopus, a police officer attached to Katwe Police station in Kampala, together with his family members, one female adult and three children."

This website has separately learnt that the deceased police officer was attached to the Crime Intelligence department at Katwe Police Station in Kampala.

A sixth family member who was also in the same vehicle is also said to have died later this morning.

The identities of the other family members  are  Chripus Twesigye, 31, the wife to the police officer , Silomena Nyangoma, 3, Falestine Nyakato, 3, Darlton Kiiza, 3 and  Maria Gorreti Kemigisha.

Nampiima said the  bodies have been conveyed to Masaka City Mortuary for postmortem examination.

"We continue to remind all road users to be vigilant while using the roads and further call upon all road users to change their attitude while using the road. The public can report traffic violation on our Toll free number Tel: 0800199099."

Background

Ugandan has continued to lead the region in the number of deaths on roads with at least 10 people killed everyday.

For example, in one week between July  2 and 9, a total of 89 persons were killed on Ugandans roads.

In June 2022, a total 366 people died and 1,146 sustained injuries on Ugandan roads.

Whereas authorities have been blamed for not doing enough to ensure these numbers go down, drivers and other roads users have on the other side been blamed for causing these accidents.

For example most accidents are blamed on reckless driving, over speeding and any other reckless behaviour on the road, a thing that authorities seems to have no or little control over.