14 killed in Lwera swamp as taxi, Sino truck crash
KALUNGU – At least 14 people were killed and four others injured in a devastating road crash at Lwera Swamp in Kalungu District late Monday night.
According to the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, the accident occurred at around 11:00 p.m. on August 3 at Kamunga Trading Centre along the Kampala-Masaka Highway.
The crash involved a Toyota Hiace taxi, registration number UA 662AQ, and a Sino truck, registration number UBS 040F, which was transporting sand.
Traffic police spokesperson Michael Kananura said all the 14 people who died were occupants of the taxi and were pronounced dead at the scene.
“The accident involved a Toyota Hiace taxi and a Sino truck transporting sand. Fourteen people died on the spot, all from the taxi,” Kananura said.
Four other victims, including two from the taxi and two from the truck, survived with injuries and were rushed to Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, where they are receiving treatment.
Police said officers visited and documented the scene before towing the wreckage to the station for inspection as investigations into the cause of the crash continue.
The driver of the truck reportedly fled after the collision, and police have launched a manhunt to trace and arrest him.
The Kampala-Masaka Highway has long been identified as one of Uganda’s accident blackspots, with crashes frequently linked to speeding, dangerous overtaking, reckless driving and mechanical defects.
The latest tragedy adds to the growing number of fatal road crashes in the country, renewing calls for motorists to exercise greater caution, especially during night travel.
