Three Perish in Kakira Road Accident

Three people have been killed and 11 others injured in a road crash involving a commuter taxi and a trailer at Kakira Junction along the Jinja-Iganga Highway, with police attributing the accident to suspected reckless driving.

The crash occurred in the early hours of Thursday when a commuter taxi, registration number UA 130 CY, collided with an unidentified trailer. The three victims died on the spot, while 11 injured passengers were rushed to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital for treatment. Hospital sources indicate that seven of the survivors are in critical condition after sustaining severe head injuries, while the others are reported to be in stable condition. 

Steven Balaza, a motorcyclist who responded to the scene, said he joined other rescuers and security personnel to retrieve victims who remained trapped inside the wreckage for more than 10 minutes. Balaza said calls for help from the injured initially received little response because there were few road users at the scene at the time of the crash. Kiira Regional Police spokesperson James Mubi confirmed the accident, saying the bodies of the deceased had been taken to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital mortuary for postmortem examinations.

Mubi said police are working with emergency medical responders to ensure the injured receive the necessary treatment while efforts continue to establish the identities of both the deceased and the injured so that their families can be informed. He said preliminary investigations point to reckless driving as the likely cause of the crash, although traffic investigators are still finalising their inquiries before releasing a comprehensive report. Mubi added that the wreckage of the taxi is also being examined by the Inspector of Vehicles to determine its roadworthiness as part of the ongoing investigations.