Juba-bound bus overturns, over 30 injured

By Julius N. Uma

March 24, 2011 (NIMULE) – At least 32 people were injured on Wednesday when a bus destined for Juba, the South Sudan capital, overturned in Koro village; an area about 8km south of Uganda’s northern district of Gulu.

Okoya Patrick Kagwa, the district traffic officer told Sudan Tribune by phone from Gulu that a burst tyre on the driver’s side was the main cause of the accident. He largely attributed the incident, which involved a coach from Kampala, to “reckless” driving.

According to Kagwa, the bus driver, whose identity could not be established, was speeding and failed to observe road signs.

“I think if this bus driver was keen enough and observed the existing road signs, he would have managed to reduce the speed at which he was moving. Maybe then the accident would not have happened,” he said.

Those injured were reportedly rushed to the nearby Gulu Independent, Gulu Regional Referral and Lacor hospitals. Eight of the passengers reportedly sustained serious injuries.

Early this year, a similar tyre incident involving another Juba-bound bus caused waves of panic in South Sudan after unconfirmed rumours of terrorist involvement. In December last year, a bomb exploded in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi as policemen checked luggage of passengers on Juba-bound bus.

(ST)