Africa-Press – Uganda. At least eight people have lost their lives in separate road accidents on the same day in Lango Sub-region.
On Thursday, two Fuso trucks belonging to Baba Oscar Transporters, owned by businessman Bosco Oryem, got involved in two separate accidents in Otuke District, claiming the lives of three people. The accident left 26 others with severe injuries.
The victims were among traders travelling from Lira City to Oreme weekly market in Ogor Sub-county in Otuke District.
The accident occurred when the ill-fated truck overturned at Baraliro Village in Alango Sub-county in Otuke District.
As a result, Agnes Awilo, a produce dealer, Betty Ojok, a second-hand clothes dealer, and Christine Akello, a passenger, died on the spot.The survivors were admitted to various health facilities in Lira and Otuke.
On the same day, another Fuso truck returning from the same market got involved in an accident at Juram Bridge in Omwonyolee in Ogor Sub-county, leaving two traders with severe injuries.
In an interview on Monday, Mr Oryem who owns nine trucks which transport traders to weekly markets in Lango, Teso and Acholi regions, said he was in touch with the families of the deceased to help with burial expenses. That same evening in Adwari Sub-county, Otuke District, two motorcycles collided and one person died instantly. The victim was identified as Emmanuel Owani, who was riding a Bajaj motorcycle.
Also, three people died in a road accident at Angwetangwet on the Lira-Dokolo highway.The victim was identified as Anna Apio, who was travelling to a hospital in Lira City.
The accident reportedly occurred when a Toyota Hilux pick-up truck, rammed into a motorcycle carrying three passengers.
One of the passengers identifies as Anna Apio, 72, died on the spot, while the other two passengers identified as Ambrose Ocen and Betty Atala died later in a hospital in Lira City.Another accident that occurred on the same day claimed the life of a one David Onyang, 50.
The deceased, whose body was discovered on the roadside at Lumumba on Soroti-Lira highway on Thursday morning, is suspected to have been a victim of a hit-and-run accident.
The North Kyoga regional police spokesperson, Mr James Ekaju, attributed the cause of the increasing road accidents in the region to reckless use of the road.
He said truck drivers who transport traders are reckless and usually do not mind about the lives of their passengers.
“These drivers overload their trucks with traders and yet drive recklessly. Unfortunately, their passengers just cheer them on instead of cautioning them,” Mr Ekaju said on Sunday.
He said the truck drivers sometimes drive under the influence of alcohol because some of them resort to drinking at local hangouts as they wait for the traders in the markets to return them in the evening. ByJoseph Omollo,Patrick Ebong, Rashul Adidi & Felix Warom Okello
