Africa-Press – Uganda. The three relatives, who died in a car accident on December 30, 2022, were yesterday laid to rest at their ancestral home in Bwigamiro-Kyamukoka Village, Kabarole District.
Ulrich Kamurasi Mugamba (31) was a son of Diana and Emmanuel Mugamba, while Tara Byanjeru Mugamba (21) and Elly Winyi Mugamba (23) were children of Judy and David Mugamba.
The trio perished after a semi-trailer truck crashed into their vehicle on Mityana-Kampala Road.
During the burial, mourners asked the government to consider giving deterrent punishments to bad road users and fight corruption among traffic police officers who fail to enforce safety measures on the road.
Ruwenzori Diocese (Anglican) Bishop Reuben Kisembo, who presided over the function, said all road users need to be responsible, adding that many people have lost their lives due to reckless driving, especially during the festive seasons.
“We want the traffic police to be strict while enforcing road safety measures. People should be given punitive punishments because we have seen some people after breaking the road safety measures, they give money to traffic officers,” he said.
He added that many motorists overload their vehicles while others drive cars in dangerous mechanical conditions.
“We want to see traffic police punishing these people heavily so that other people can learn from them. That is our request as a Church to the government,” Bishop Kisembo said.
The Vicar General of Fort Portal Catholic Diocese, Msgr Isaiah Mayombo, asked the government to consider widening the roads, especially the highways.
The Minister for Security, Maj Gen Jim Muhwezi, who represented President Museveni at the burial, said: “As government, we are already debating on what the government must do to mitigate these carnages we are experiencing on the road. These children died because the driver of the trailer lost control.”
Maj Gen Muhwezi said investigations are ongoing to determine what made the driver of the trailer lose control.
He also handed over Shs30 million from the President to the families of the deceased.
The family of the deceased called on the government and public to work together to address the increasing cases of road accidents.
Retired Supreme Court judge Paul Mugamba, an uncle to the deceased, said: “On behalf of the family we thank you for standing with us, this week has been a sad week and we have learnt lessons that include life, because there is no tenure for life, time comes when each of us will go.”
Road accidents
According to figures released by the traffic police, 55 people died as a result of road crashes between December 23 and December 26, 2022, with a further 212 sustaining serious injuries.
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