Both drivers in fatal Luuka accident on the run - Police

The late Gladys Aliyinza had been canvassing support for the Luuka District Woman MP seat ahead of 2026 elections

Police in Busoga North are hunting for on-the-run driver of former Luuka District Woman parliamentary aspirant Gladys Aliyinza.

Ms Aliyinza, wife of deputy presidential spokesperson Faruk Kirunda, and Yusuf Biita, the LC II vice chairman for Kiriimwa Parish, Bukomwa Subcounty in Luuka District, were killed when a pickup vehicle they were travelling in collided with a sugarcane truck in Luuka on Thursday.

Initial reports indicated that the late Aliyinza's driver had been taken to hospital but Mr Micheal Kasadha, the Busoga North Region Police spokesperson, said he was on the run.

"The drivers of both vehicles are on the run," Mr Kasadha said in a statement released last evening.

"The hunt is on to have them apprehended and further inquiries are ongoing."

The statement did not identify either driver.

Ms Aliyinza, 34, and Mr Biita were travelling in a silver-grey Isuzu, double cabin Reg no UG4654 when the vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a sugarcane loaded lorry Reg.No. UAU 073G.

The fatal accident occurred at Nawansega cell,Nawansega Ward, Bukova Town council in Luuka District.

"Initial findings indicate that at around 4:30pm on Thursday, the truck Reg no. UAU 073 G loaded with sugarcane from Kaliro side, was sloping and it collided with climbing double cabin Isuzu Reg No. UG 4654C from the opposite direction," Mr Kasadha said.

The Isuzu pickup in which Ms Aliyinza was travelling overturned  several times.

Police said the collision occurred at a road sector with a slight bend that might have contributed to the crash.

"Biita died on the spot, and attempts to save Aliyinza's life did not yield as she died on the way to Musana Hospital in Kaliro District," Police said.

The body of Biita was taken to Kiyunga Health Centre IV for a postmortem, while that of Ms Aliyinza was taken Musana community hospital.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Kirunda last evening announced "with a very heavy heart" the untimely death of his wife.

"It's a heavy blow on our young family and pray to Allah to see us through," he said.

"I thank all of you for the outpouring of sympathy and support so far extended to us."

The late Aliyinza, a resident of Lambala Village, Irongo Parish in Luuka's Irongo Subcounty, had been phone banking across the district ahead of the 2026 parliamentary elections.