A tragic road accident rocked the sleepy town of Payila Alwi along the Pakwach–Nebbi highway on Tuesday night, leaving two men dead and at least 19 others seriously injured.
At around 9:35 PM, chaos erupted when a Baby Coach bus (UBB 145S) rammed head-on into a fuel tanker (KBW 679H/ZG 0855) in what police say was a result of reckless driving.
According to regional police spokesperson Asea Collins, the crash claimed the lives of both drivers Mustafa Male, 46, a Ugandan national behind the wheel of the bus, and Adan Omar, 48, a Kenyan truck driver. Male was rushed to Angal Hospital but succumbed to injuries shortly after arrival. Omar died instantly.
He identifies the victims as women, children, and nationals from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya. Some of the injured were rushed to Pakwach Health Centre IV and later transferred to Nebbi Hospital.
Police say the bus veered off its lane and smashed into the parked fuel tanker, which was reportedly properly marked and parked on the hard shoulder. “It was clear negligence,” a source from the rescue team revealed.
Among the injured is Jackline Ururach, 60, who suffered a broken right arm, while a 13-year-old girl, Sharon Michiparwoth, also survived the horrific crash. Other passengers, including Claude Banny (49) and Bitolona Faidha (21) from Bunia, DRC, are being monitored in hospital.
The wreckage has since been towed to Pakwach Central Police Station (CPS). Police have launched a full investigation into the fatal collision.
