Uganda Police, UNRA teams probe Nkumba black spot
Hellen Mukiibi
Journalist @New Vision
_____________________ Police and UNRA team consuting Road Users in Nkumba
Uganda Police and various stakeholders, including the Uganda National Road Authority (UNRA), have launched fresh investigations into the Nkumba road intersection which has turned into a black spot.
On Saturday (April 20), UNRA engineers and police personnel conducted a joint inspection of the Kampala-Entebbe Road intersection, where two freak accidents occurred on Friday and Wednesday this week.
Raphael Okiot, a lawyer and lecturer at Uganda Christian University (UCU), was crashed to death on Wednesday when a concrete mixer truck lost control at the Nkumba traffic lights junction and tipped onto his car, killing him instantly.
On Friday, over 15 people, including children, survived death when four vehicles: a minibus, a station wagon (Toyota Land Cruiser V8), a commuter taxi, and a Toyota Premio were involved in a pile-up.
The majority of passengers on the minibus were school children led on a study trip to Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (the Zoo).
Witnesses narrated that in the multiple crash, the minibus lost control and rammed into a Toyota Premio.
The smaller vehicle then knocked a Toyota Land Cruiser V8, which in turn hit a commuter taxi.
Here, no fatalities or injuries were recorded.
Whereas the commuter taxi and Land Cruiser had no significant damage, the mangled wreck of the Toyota Premio and the minibus were towed off to Entebbe Police Station.
Allan Ssempembwa, the UNRA media relations manager, said Saturday that the public will be informed of some of the findings and planned interviews.
In a post on social media X, he also shared photos of the public engagement at the troublesome spot.
"We conducted an onsite inspection with the traffic Police and other road users at Nkumba this afternoon," said Ssempebwa.
"A stakeholder meeting was later held at the Entebbe Police Headquarters to acquaint ourselves with the contributing factors to traffic crashes and accidents along this area and the crash spots.
"We’ve gathered more valuable information to address potential crashes in the area. We’ll be updating the public on existing design short and long-term solutions".
Ssempebwa said the UNRA team was led by Safety Specialist Engineer Norman Byamukama.
UNRA's main mandate is to develop and maintain the national road network. The agency also advises the Government on general road policy and contributes to addressing transport concerns, among others.
Road carnage
Last year, Uganda recorded a 30 percent increase in road fatalities, with 4,179 lives lost, according to the 2023 Annual Traffic and Safety Report.
The report released this year said these were an increase from 3,210 in 2022.
The figures for serious crashes increased to 12,487 in 2023 from 8,860 in 2022.
At least 23,608 road crashes were recorded in 2023 compared to 20,394 cases registered.
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