At least 10 passengers have been injured after a bus lost control and rammed into a car in Rwimi Town Council, Bunyangabu District.
The accident occurred Tuesday morning around 6:30am at Kasunganyanja Trading Centre along the Kasese–Fort Portal road.
Rwenzori West Police identified the Jussy Bus as registration UA 469CB, white in colour, driven by 52-year-old Justus Balikudembe of Kabale District.
The other vehicle involved was a silver Toyota Premio, registration UAX 690H, driven by Topista Musime, a resident of Rwimi Town Council.
Preliminary investigations indicate the bus, traveling from Kampala to Bwera, stopped at Kasunganyanja Trading Centre to drop off passengers.
As the journey resumed, the propeller shaft broke, leaving the bus uncontrollable.
“The bus had stopped to drop passengers at Kasunganyanja Trading Centre, but when it resumed moving, the propeller shaft broke down, leaving the vehicle uncontrollable,” police said in a written statement.
The bus continued uncontrollably up to Rwimi Town Council, diverted onto a feeder road leading to the prisons barracks, and collided with the Toyota Premio, which had just dropped pupils at school. Both vehicles eventually came to a stop.
Police estimate about 30 passengers were on board, though some escaped without injuries. All victims were evacuated and taken to various medical facilities. Investigations into the exact cause of the mechanical failure are ongoing.
Residents praised the bus driver for avoiding the sharp and busy Rwimi roundabout, which likely prevented a more severe accident.
“We thank the driver for avoiding the roundabout. If he had gone straight there, we would be talking about a different story with more casualties,” said Emmanuel Muchunguzi, a resident of Rwimi Town Council.
Following the crash, Rwimi Town Clerk James Mpanga called for urgent road safety measures, including a designated stopover point for bigger buses and trucks at Kasunganyanja Trading Centre to reduce accidents.
Police said further details will be provided as investigations continue.