Police have started a manhunt for the driver of an ambulance who was driving in the wrong lane and knocked dead a boda boda rider and injured two others.
Superintendent of Police Kananura, the traffic police spokesperson said the accident happened on Saturday at Katende along the Kampala-Masaka Highway in Mpigi district at around 4 pm when the ambulance, registration number UAY 400Y belonging to Specialists Doctor International knocked two boda bodas, registration number UEW 020M and another UDZ 939B.
“The crash happened when the ambulance was carrying a body from Jinja to Kyotera attempted to overtake a queue of vehicles and collided head-on with two motorcycles coming from the opposite direction towards Kampala,” Kananura said.
He said the rider of one of the boda bodas died on the spot while another and a passenger sustained serious injuries and were rushed for medical attention.
“It was illegal for the ambulance to carry a dead body but also drive in the wrong lane because it didn’t have a right of way at that time. The crash was due to careless overtaking by the ambulance.”
Kananura said the driver of the ambulance took off after the accident, but noted that the vehicle is currently parked at Mpigi Police Station while police have got in touch with relatives of the deceased to ensure they give a decent burial.
The development points to the growing impunity on Ugandan roads where motorists disregard others.
Police together with the UPDF recently launched joint operations to crack down on errant motorists on the road.