KAMPALA – The Police have launched a hunt for the driver of a Toyota Hilux Reg. No. UBK 108P that knocked dead a pupil on Wednesday – in an incident that left four other people injured at a zebra crossing on Kampala-Jinja highway in Mukono Municipality.
Alice Sheila Namwanje, 12 – a P.7 pupil of Naluse Primary School in Mukono Municipality was crossing the road from her home in Upper Kauga together with her classmate, Jenipher Namatovu when the driver of the said vehicle ignored all efforts to slow down – knocking her. The two children were walking close to Paul Kalyango – a teacher at Naggalama Senior Secondary, and Diana Namulindwa – an SII student of Bishop Senior Secondary School when the vehicle that was destined for Kampala ran over Namwanje.
Teopista Nakirijja -an eye witness narrated that that vehicles from either side of the road had stopped to allow the pupils to cross but the pick-up driver overtook the other automobiles – knocking the minor who died moments later on the way to hospital.
Nakirijja added that the driver tried to park alongside the road but rammed into a boda boda rider – switched on the siren and sped off.
The boda boda rider whose identity wasn’t readily available is admitted at Mukono General Hospital while Kalyango was referred from Ebenezer Medical Centre to Mulago National Referral Hospital for specialised treatmen. Namulindwa was stayed at Ebenezer Medical Centre.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Patrick Onyango pledged to give a detailed report about the incident – reportedly after acquiring a post-mortem report.
Namwanje’s father, Charles Kalyango, tearfully said his daughter had died on the way to Mukono Church of Uganda Hospital.
He noted that he had initially rushed her to Bwino Medical Centre but the medical team at the facility could handle her condition.
The community in Mukono has blamed the government for failing to control the impunity of people – especially diplomats and government officials who misuse their right of way.
John Kiyimba –a resident of Kigunga said that there was a need for Uganda National Roads Authority-UNRA to revive the practice of erecting signposts along the road and creating pedestrian walkways.
