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30 die in two separate accidents in Uganda

Wednesday December 19 2018
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The wreckage of the bus that fell off a cliff in eastern Kapchorwa District, Uganda, on December 18, 2018. PHOTO | LEONARD MUKOOLI | NMG

By CHARLES M. MPAGI

Two separate road accidents have claimed the lives of at least 30 people in Uganda.

In the eastern Kapchorwa district, at least 20 people died on Tuesday night after a bus, belonging to the Ministry of Education, fell off a cliff.

The bus was carrying workers of various community-based organisations from western Uganda who were on a sightseeing end-of-year tour to the scenic Sipi Falls in the east of the country.

Barely six hours later, another accident claimed the lives of 10 people in Njeru along the Kampala-Jinja highway in the central region.

According to eyewitness accounts, a lorry ferrying sugarcane rammed into revellers during a cultural war dance known as kadodi popular at circumcision ceremonies among the Bagisu people of eastern Uganda.

Scores others were injured.

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Ssezibwa regional police spokesperson Ms Hellen Butoto said majority of the people who were involved in the accident are under 18 years of age.

Uganda has one of the worst records for road safety, due to the poor condition of vehicles and roads as well as dangerous driving.

According to figures from the transport ministry, more than 9,500 people died in road accidents between 2015 and 2017.

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