Local News

11 perish in Geita road accident

ELEVEN people, including a father and his three children, died instantly while 12 others got seriously injured in a road accident that involved three motor vehicles here.

The accident occurred on Sunday at about 2:30 pm in Chibingo village in Geita region at the same spot where 14 passengers who were travelling in a Bunda bus got killed in an accident last year. In that accident 28 people suffered injuries.

The Acting Regional Police Commander (RPC) for Geita, Mr Paul Kasabago, described the accident as the most horrible this year. Three motor vehicles were involved in the accident including two Toyota Corola saloons and a Toyota Land Cruiser.

According to the RPC, nine people including three children perished on spot. One victim died on the way to hospital while the eleventh died when being operated on at the hospital. He mentioned the names of  some of the deceased as Maria Elisante (18), Masasila Benjamin (17), James Ntungirwenge (36) and Eliud Ngovongo (36) with his three children Amin (10), Emison (7) and Sara (4).

Until Sunday evening, the police were yet to identify three bodies. The RPC said that seven of the bodies were identified by relatives. RPC Kasabago said that 12 people were admitted to Geita District Hospital.

However, four of them had to be referred to Bugando Referral Hospital in neighbouring Mwanza region. The Geita District Medical Officer, Dr Abdalah Dihenga, led a team of medical doctors in attending to victims of the accident.

The RPC said the accident was caused by high speed of the two saloon cars, known here as 'michomoko' which collided head-on with the Toyota Land cruiser. Geita Regional Commissioner Magalula Said Magalula visited the hospital and consoled the wounded and the relatives of the deceased.