Africa-Press – Uganda. A somber mood engulfed All Saints Cathedral Nakasero yesterday as Rotarians eulogised their colleague, the late Ronald Tashobya Becwarika, 40, who died at the weekend in Naivasha, Kenya.
The late Tashobya was president-elect of the Kyanja-Kisaasi Rotaract club.
He was involved in an accident with six others while on their way to Naivasha to attend a conference which started on April 21 and ended on 23.
In a speech read by the day’s emcee, Mr Joseph Mubiru, on behalf of Ms Pamela Ruharo Nyakairu, one of the survivors who is nursing injuries at Nakuru Referral Hospital, rotary club members travelled with the late and they had breakfast in Kericho.
Five minutes before the accident, the delegation stopped downhill to buy sugarcane before reaching the famous Sachangwan stretch where a tourist Land Cruiser in which they were travelling failed to brake and fell off a cliff.
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She added that in order to avoid impact with the trailer ahead, their driver swerved off the road.
“When l regained consciousness, we were piled at the dashboard of the vehicle. We were picked up by a highway patrol ambulance which took us to Nakuru Referral Hospital,” she said.
The president of the Rotary Club of Nakuru then picked them up from the hospital and referred them to Mediheal Hospital Nakuru.
“All this time, Tashobya was conscious but complained that he could not feel his legs and had pain in the lower back,” Ms Nyakairu said.
“At the hospital, he was immediately taken for a CT scan and put in ICU for monitoring. As they waited for a neurosurgeon, they found that the nerve for breathing and regulating temperature was damaged during the accident. He was sedated, but passed on the following morning,” she added.
When contacted, Mr Mike Sebalu, the newly elected Governor Rotary District 9213, said they were informed that the ill-fated vehicle developed a mechanical problem.
“They must have been trying to catch up with my installation as the new district 9213 Governor. Their choices were between hitting an oncoming vehicle head on and swerving off the road for safety and the car went into a ditch,” he said.
Mr Sebalu added that the vehicle was badly damaged and the passengers suffered severe injuries.
Some underwent operation and others were taken into ICU where they seemed out of danger from medical reports.
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The late Tashobya will be laid to rest today at Kashazi, Rwempisi, Rwentondo, Rukungiri District.
Other occupants
Other occupants include a couple, Rono and Robert Lisper both still in ICU and hospitalised in Nakuru, respectively, Nice Kyakunzire in ICU, Mr Martin Namutso in stable condition, Ms Olivia Birungi Nahumuza who returned to Kampala. Ms Pamela Ruharo Nyakairu was discharged but is still recovering in Nakuru. The driver, only identified as Mark, was treated and discharged.
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