In a devastating road accident early Wednesday morning, ten people lost their lives, and several others were injured at Kaihura Trading Center along the Fort Portal-Kyenjojo road.
The fatal collision involved a head-on crash between a taxi and a bus.
Vincent Twesige, spokesperson for the Rwenzori West police, reported that the accident occurred at approximately 4:00 am.
The vehicles involved were a taxi, with registration UBR 812G, traveling from Fort Portal, and an Isuzu bus, registered as UBE 807T, operated by the Pokopoko company, en route from Kampala.
“On August 28, 2024, at around 4:00 am at Kaihura on the Fort Portal-Kampala road, a tragic traffic accident occurred involving a Pokopoko company Isuzu bus and a Toyota Hiace taxi. The collision resulted in the deaths of 10 passengers in the taxi, including its driver,” Twesige confirmed.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the taxi veered out of its lane, leading to a head-on collision with the bus, which was traveling in its correct lane.
Emergency responders swiftly transported the deceased to Kyenjojo Hospital for postmortem examinations, while those injured received immediate medical attention.
By 8:00 am, authorities had cleared the taxi wreckage and moved it to Kaihura Police Post. Efforts to remove the bus wreckage were underway to restore normal traffic flow on the busy road.
Passengers aboard the bus, which was heading towards Kasese district, were stranded at the scene from 4:00 am until 9:00 am, when another Pokopoko bus arrived to continue their journey to Fort Portal and Kasese.
An eyewitness, Joshua Katusiime, who arrived at the scene early in the morning, described the harrowing sight of lifeless bodies trapped inside the taxi.
He added that survivors indicated the taxi had been speeding, and there were speculations that the driver may have been fatigued or asleep at the time of the crash.
