By Tragedy struck on Wednesday morning when a two-month-old baby, identified as Mikel Turyamureeba, lost his life after a Toyota Hiace taxi overturned along the Kabale-Mbarara road in Kabale District. The accident left seven other passengers injured.
Kigezi Regional Police spokesperson, Mr. Elly Maate, confirmed the incident, stating that the taxi, registration number UBK 650N, was en route from Kasese to Kabale when the driver lost control at Kabaraga Hill, approximately 8 kilometers from Kabale town.
The injured passengers, identified as Saturina Katusiime (20), Gadi Nabataki (43), Alice Biira (47), Rose Komugabe (49), Prudence Kyarisima (27), Precious Ayebazibwe (11), and a male juvenile named Turyamutunga, were promptly evacuated to Kabale Regional Referral Hospital. The body of the deceased was taken to the hospital’s mortuary for a postmortem examination.
The scene of the crash was inspected by ASP Wilson Mucunguzi, the Officer in Charge of Traffic Police at Kabale Police Station, alongside his team. The wreckage of the taxi has been towed to Kabale Central Police Station for further inspection as investigations into the incident continue.
Blackspot Concerns
ASP Mucunguzi highlighted Kabaraga Hill as a known accident-prone area in Kabale District. “Drivers should always ensure their vehicles are serviced before hitting the road and perform daily vehicle checkups to prevent such avoidable accidents,” he emphasized.
He also advised drivers to stay in their lanes for better visibility of oncoming traffic and to exercise caution, particularly on hilly and winding roads like Kabaraga Hill.
Rising Accident Rates
According to ASP Mucunguzi, this is the second major accident recorded at Kabaraga Hill since the beginning of the year. He further noted a prevalence of hit-and-run incidents in the area, raising concerns over the safety of road users.
Authorities are urging road users to exercise vigilance and adhere to traffic regulations to curb the growing number of accidents in the region.
