UGANDA MPS ARE SHOCKED BY THE DEATH OF ONE OF THEIR COLLEAGUES IN A CAR ACCIDENT, HEAPING THE BLAME ON THE GOVERNMENT FOR FAILURE TO REPAIR THE ROADS
Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.
FOLLOWING the death of Budiope MP, Henry Balikoowa, on Sunday night, his fellow MPs are up in arms blaming the government for poor maintenance of roads.
The MPs blamed the death of their fellow legislator on poor state of the roads and also the government’s failure to enforce the traffic rules.
Balikoowa, 40 died n an accident, which occurred on Sunday night at Mubira Forest, which is located between the towns of Mukono and Jinja, on the main Kampala-Jinja highway. His vehicle had collided with a tractor owned by the nearby sugar plantation company. It occurred close to the Najjembe picnic site, situated next to Kampala-jinja highway on Sunday night at about 10.30PM.
The tractor, which is reportedly belonging to Lugazi based Sugar Corporation of Uganda, was reportedly heading to the sugar cane field to fetch the newly harvested cane crops for the factory.
According to the police, the driver of the tractor had fled the scene of accident. His name was given as Emmanuel Mambo, but his luck of escaping ran out, and he has since been apprehended by the police.
The police, in their preliminary investigations, have confirmed that the tractor driver was driving right in the middle of the road, and when the MP’s vehicle approached, he swerved to the right, but it was too late. The MP ‘s vehicle hit the big rear tyre and landed right on the tractor.
Rescuers had difficult time retrieving the body of the MP from the mangled wreckage of the vehicle, using axes and other iron bars. But unfortunately, it was too late, because by the time they managed to free the body after a lot of struggling, the MP was long dead.
The MP was traveling alone, apparently heading to Kampala City, after a busy schedule of work in his Budiope constituency, near Kamuli Town in the Busoga Kingdom.
A group of Mps, who rushed to the scene of the accident, commented harshly against the government, for failing to maintain high standards of roads. They said the death of their young colleague was a very unfortunate. He will be remembered for his vehement opposition, during the debate on the just concluded controversial Land Bill. He will again be remembered for having exposed Uganda soldiers, savagely beating up the people, during the controversial Kyabazing elections in Busoga.
Balikoowa is the second Ugandan MP in the current Parliament to die in a road accident. In November last year, Singiro Woman MP, Vicky Kyakuhaire Kyaka, perished in a road accident in Buwoma, Mpigi district.
The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Ogenga Latigo, narrowly escaped death, when his vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a country bus on the main Kampala-Gulu road.. But his driver and a female passenger perished.
Among the late Balikoowa’s colleagues who sent their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family of the youthful MP include the NRM Chief Whip Daudi Migereko, Margatet Byanyima, Florence Kashaka, all of the ruling NRM.
Two other Mps, Abdul Katuntu and Elijah Okapa were the first persons to arrive at the scene of the accident. They tried hard to contact the police and together with volunteer rescuers, they struggled and freed the MP’s body from the mingled wreckage, which was still laying on top of the tractor.
Katuntu said a few weeks ago, he and the deceased had approached the minister for Works and Transport, pleading with the two, to improve the roads, and also to effect strict traffic rules that barred heavy trucks from driving during the night hours. He said most of the big trucks driving at night are not road worthy..
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leooderaomolo@yahoo.com