EIGHT TRADERS INJURED ALONG JUKIA NEBBI ROAD

PATRICK OKABA

NEBBI. At least eight have been injured along Nebbi–Jukia road after the vehicle they were travelling in over turned.

An Isuzu Elf registration number UAS-804W was carrying an unspecified number of traders dealing in produce from Awasi in Zombo district to Pakwach district. It overturned at 8: 30pm on Easter Monday, 2KM to Nebbi town on Jukia hill.  

According to Nebbi police Commander Aminsi Kiyondo, the vehicle overturned at a sharp corner on Jukia hill due to brake failure which later forced the vehicle to veer off the road injuring eight passengers seriously.

Kiyondo says that the injured were mostly women who deal in produce from Nebbi and Pakwach districts.

However, he says that no deaths were registered but the driver is under police custody for further investigations.

He urges vehicle owners to always service their vehicles before embarking on any journey.

 “We have been advising the vehicle owners to always service their vehicle to avoid avoidable accidents,” Kiyondo said.

 One of the eyewitnesses Migrate Aya who sustained minor injury on her right hand and one of the produce dealers in Nebbi town says, she heard a loud sound when slopping the hill but shortly, the vehicle started crossing the road at a very high speed.

 Aya identified some of the injured colleagues as Daisy, Paskwali, Beatrice, Kumakech, Wek-ira Harriet and Aciro with severe injuries currently admitted at Nebbi hospital.

 She says that she lost her bags of beans worth shs 1m got lost while other seeds got mixed up with sand.

  “Jukia hill has made very many traders poor since it is prone to accidents. Our leaders should lobby authorities to tarmac the road,” Aya says.

Francis Chothum, a resident of Jukia hill says they reported at the scene to rescue the passengers when they heard the loud sound of the falling vehicle on the hill.  He said for many times, they have responded at no cost to rescue victims of road carnage along Jukia hill.