79 people lost their lives while 288 others sustained injuries in road accidents last week across the country, Uganda Police has revealed.

Michael Kananura, traffic police spokesperson noted that the majority of the victims were either motorcycle riders or pedestrians. He said that out of the 79 fatalities, 29 were motorcyclists, 23 were pedestrians, and nine were passengers on motorcycles or involved in crashes with other vehicles.  

He attributed most of the accidents to careless overtaking and speeding, highlighting the need for heightened caution on the roads. Among the tragic incidents was the death of lawyer Raphael Okiot, who perished at Nkumba when a truck carrying concrete collapsed onto his vehicle as he was en route to represent clients in court.

Law enforcement swiftly apprehended the truck driver, who attempted to flee the scene. Preliminary investigations indicated that the concrete truck was in a perilous mechanical condition.    

In response to concerns about such accidents caused by vehicles in unsafe mechanical conditions, Waiswa Bageya, permanent secretary of the ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT), assured that steps are being taken to mitigate such incidents.  

Bageya noted that compensation to SGS, the company responsible for vehicle inspections, has reached 30 per cent of the required Shs 209 billion. SGS terminated its contract with the government following parliamentary scrutiny, despite having already established six vehicle inspection centres. 

The government aims to take ownership of these centres once full compensation to SGS is secured. In addition to the Nkumba crash, which claimed the life of Okiot, a Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Maj Habibu Zamba also lost his life in a Mabira forest accident after he attempted to overtake three vehicles

Kananura urged all road users to exercise extreme caution, whether walking, riding, or driving, emphasizing the importance of road safety for all.