At least seven children below the age of 15 years died in two separate road crashes that happened on Saturday in greater Masaka area. The first three children who were siblings died with their parents in a carnage that happened on Saturday morning at Kyarushowe swamp along Masaka-Kampala highway.
Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP Faridah Nampiima, who is also the traffic police spokesperson, identified the toddlers who died with their parents as twins Nyagoma Silomena and Nyakato Falestine who were 3 years old. Their youngest brother Darliton Kiiza aged 1 also died.
The children as well as their father Police Constable, Cleopus Bwesigye, who was attached to Kampala metropolitan south regional headquarters at Katwe under the crime intelligence department, their mother Maria Gorreti Kemigisha as their other relative Chripus Twesigye are now reduced to statistics of road deaths.
Police said Bwesigye was cruising a Toyota Wish UBE 756C and he had a head-on collision with Fuso Fighter UBH 902U. Witnesses have since put the blame on policeman Bwesigye who allegedly left his lane and crossed to the Fuso side thus perishing with his entire family.
As if the death of policeman Bwesigye alongside his entire family was not enough, another road crash claimed lives of four juveniles when a speeding Toyota Wish rammed into them in Sembabule district.
Nampiima said the Sembabule road carnage happened at Kabango in Sembabule Town Council at around 3:20pm. The vehicle that claimed lives of four children and left four others in a critical condition had registration number UBG 517L.
Police said the killer car was coming from Gomba road heading to Sembabule town. The dead children in Sembabule road incident include Namata Winnie, Nalubega Joan, Babirye Sylvia and Nabadda Macklin.
All the deceased children were aged 13 years while their colleagues that survived with serious injuries include Nanyonga Molly12, Nabayego Nowelin 12, Ndagire Christine 14 and another an unidentified victim. The dead children and injured ones were all residents of Kyabi Trading Centre.
Police have since established that the dead children were from attending a church service ahead of their confirmation. Unlike the Kyarushowe road incident in which the driver also perished, the Sembabule drivers took after causing the incident. Police are currently hunting for him.