Fuel tanker crash on Masaka-Kyotera Highway claims five lives

A tragic road accident on the Masaka-Kyotera-Mutukula Highway on Thursday morning has claimed the lives of five people and left nine others injured. The crash occurred around 11:00 a.m. in Botera Village when a fuel tanker, traveling at speed from Masaka towards Kyotera, collided with a stationary commuter taxi.

Eyewitnesses reported that the taxi had pulled over to allow a passenger to disembark. Despite the road being under construction, onlookers questioned how the tanker driver could have failed to notice the clearly visible taxi parked on the roadside.

The impact caused the commuter taxi to overturn multiple times, leading to immediate fatalities and injuries. Southern Regional Police spokesperson, Mr. Twaha Kasirye, confirmed the grim toll. Six of the injured were transported to Kalisizo General Hospital, while the remaining three were taken to Masaka Regional Referral Hospital for treatment.

Both vehicles involved, a fuel tanker (registration T813 DYP) and a commuter taxi (registration UBH 378W), have been impounded by police at Kalisizo Police Station as investigations into the exact cause of the crash are underway.

This latest incident adds to the growing alarm over road safety in Uganda. National statistics reveal a disturbing upward trend in road traffic fatalities, with figures climbing from 4,534 in 2022 to 5,383 in 2025, averaging approximately 15 deaths daily. Pedestrians remain particularly vulnerable, with a significant portion of deaths occurring while crossing, walking along, or standing by roadsides. Weekend travel, especially Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, continues to be associated with the highest number of accidents and fatalities.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)