By Anthony Kushaba
A devastating road accident that occurred at Kabaraga village along the Kabale-Mbarara highway, one German tourist lost their life on the spot, while another tourist and their driver sustained injuries.
The deceased has been identified as Dr. Wendsche Ralf Steffen, a 58-year-old German tourist. The injured victims are Silk Venus, a 48-year-old German tourist, and Nyombi Morgan, a 60-year-old Ugandan resident of Murungu in Munyonyo, Kampala, who was the driver of the tourist vehicle.
The incident took place at approximately 09:00 hours when the tourist vehicle, a green Toyota Land Cruiser with registration number UAX 567C, was en route from Bwindi Gorilla Valley to Kampala. At Kabaraga corner, a speeding Fuso truck with the registration number UBH009B, coming from the Mbarara side, attempted to overtake another unidentified vehicle. In the process, the truck collided with the tourist vehicle, resulting in the tragic incident.
Dr. Wendsche Ralf Steffen lost his life instantly, while Silk Venus and Nyombi Morgan sustained injuries. The victims were promptly rushed to Kabale Referral Hospital for medical attention. The body of the deceased was also taken to the same hospital’s mortuary for a postmortem.
Kigezi regional police spokesperson Elly Maate says that the scene of the accident was visited and documented by ACP Saiga Ibrahim, the Regional Police Commander (RPC) for Kigezi, along with assistance from RTO Sp Betubiza Fabian and ASP Mucunguzi, DTO Kabale.
The tourist vehicle involved in the accident is currently parked at Kabale Police Station, pending an investigation by the Inspectorate of Vehicles (IOV). Authorities are conducting inquiries to determine the exact sequence of events leading to the tragic collision.
This unfortunate incident highlights the need for enhanced road safety measures and stricter enforcement to prevent such accidents on major highways.
