A tragic road accident claimed the lives of three people and left seven others injured this morning along the Bushenyi-Mbarara road. The incident, which occurred at around 7:35 a.m. at Mile 9, involved three vehicles: a Toyota Mark II (UAX 318V), a Toyota Wish (UBK 951Q), and a Toyota Hiace (UAZ 899J), according to a statement by SP Michael Kananura, Police Spokesperson for Traffic and Road Safety.
The crash began when the driver of the Mark II, traveling from Bushenyi toward Mbarara, lost control while attempting to dodge a pothole. The vehicle collided with an oncoming Toyota Wish, resulting in the immediate death of two individuals—the driver and passenger of the Mark II—and injuring all seven occupants of the Toyota Wish.
As police and emergency responders arrived to assist, a secondary incident unfolded. “A speeding Toyota Hiace, traveling from the Bushenyi side, struck and killed one of the victims being removed from the crash scene. The driver failed to stop and was later intercepted at a police checkpoint in Mbarara,” SP Kananura reported.
All injured parties were rushed to Mbarara Referral Hospital for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were taken to the mortuary for post-mortem examination. The vehicles involved have been towed to Kashaka Police Station for further inspection as investigations continue.
Preliminary findings attribute the accident to speeding and the presence of a pothole on the road. “Speeding by all vehicles involved and a pothole in the middle of the road were contributing factors to this tragic incident,” Kananura noted.
Authorities have been alerted to address the pothole, while police are urging motorists to observe speed limits and exercise caution, especially near accident scenes.
