Kakise Bus Driver Dies Weeks After Devastating Crash

Alfred Ekongo, a driver with Kakise Bus Company, has died following severe injuries from a bus crash in Soroti City that occurred on Sunday, July 19. Ekongo passed away on Wednesday at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, where he had been undergoing treatment since the accident.

The unfortunate incident saw the bus, registration number UAS 159P, veer off the road and collide with a bridge shortly after midnight at Opuyo Trading Centre. Eyewitnesses suggest the crash happened as a crowd had gathered to watch a World Cup match. It’s reported that a fight broke out among some youths, and one individual attempting to flee the altercation ran into the road.

According to witnesses, Ekongo attempted to swerve to avoid hitting the fleeing pedestrian, which led to him losing control of the vehicle. “The bus driver tried to avoid hitting the pedestrian but lost control of the vehicle before crashing into the bridge,” one witness stated, adding that the driver’s actions may have been aimed at preventing a greater tragedy.

Colleagues at Kakise Bus Company’s Soroti station remembered Ekongo as an experienced and disciplined professional with over three decades of service. They described him as a jovial individual who was dedicated to his job and always drove with caution. This crash was reportedly his first major accident.

Ekongo’s body is currently at the Soroti Regional Referral Hospital mortuary as arrangements for a post-mortem and burial are made. Other passengers injured in the accident are still receiving medical care in various facilities within Soroti. Police had not released an official report on the incident as of the time of this report.

This story is based on information from The Observer (Uganda).