IGANGA | Police in Iganga District resorted to firing live bullets into the air to disperse enraged locals who had blocked the Iganga-Kaliro road for four hours on Tuesday morning.
The protest was sparked by mounting frustration over the failure of authorities and the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) to install speed humps at a dangerous railway flyover that has become a hotspot for fatal accidents.
The locals, who began their demonstration at 7am, barricaded the road, halting all traffic, including motorcycles and vehicles, between Iganga and Kaliro.
Their primary grievances were the absence of speed humps at the accident-prone flyover and the lack of regulation of overloaded sugarcane trucks, which frequently spill cane onto the road, creating hazardous conditions.
The protest followed two tragic accidents at the same spot in under 24 hours, which claimed five lives.
On Sunday evening, four people—three men and a woman—were killed in one incident, while on Monday morning, another man lost his life at the same location.
The deaths outraged locals and some community leaders, who joined in the road closure as a call for urgent action.
Nakalama Sub-county chairperson Hamidu Ssalongo Kawanguzi expressed solidarity with the protesters, acknowledging their concerns about the lack of speed humps.
He slammed authorities for failing to act despite repeated requests to address the safety risks on the road.
“People are demonstrating for the very reason we have been raising with authorities, but nothing has been done," Mr Kawanguzi said.
"We call upon the government to respond to the cries of the people. It is unacceptable to lose five lives in accidents in less than a day.”
He identified speeding, the absence of humps, and the overloading of sugarcane trucks as major contributors to the accidents.
He also urged the police to deploy officers at the blackspot to maintain order and prevent further tragedies.
Residents reported that over 10 people, primarily boda boda cyclists and their passengers, have died in the past month due to accidents at the flyover.
Many others have sustained serious injuries.
Although police initially attempted to negotiate with the demonstrators to clear the road peacefully, they were forced to fire live rounds into the air to disperse the crowd and reopen the road for normal traffic.
Iganga District Police Commander Patrick Byaruhanga defended the use of what he termed "reasonable force" to restore order.
He assured the public that discussions with the responsible authorities were underway to address the locals' grievances.
"This is a blackspot for accidents, but what I know is that UNRA has been engaged to install humps here, and they accepted," Mr Byaruhanga said.
"The road is very clear, which encourages speeding. Unfortunately, there are several feeder roads connecting to this main road, leading to reckless driving."
He also urged the public to exercise caution when using the road and minimize risky behaviour that contributes to accidents.