By Nathan Eyagu 

SOROTI - Another tragedy has yet again hit Soroti city following a tragic road accident that occuered today in Opuyo ward, Soroti City East, which claimed the lives of two adults and left one severely injured.

This latest accident occurred alarmingly close to the site of a previous crash that took the lives of two young pupils who passed on yesterday's night after they were hit by a vehicle. 

The collision involved a white Toyota Hilux (registration number UPM 466C) and a Bajaj Boxer motorcycle (registration number UFN 742U). The Toyota Hilux, traveling at high speed, struck the motorcycle from behind. The motorcycle, carrying three passengers, was severely impacted by the force of the collision.

The victims include: Ouchokol Paul Jorem aged 20, the motorcycle rider, who died instantly, Apio Hellen aged 23, a female passenger, who also succumbed to her injuries on the spot and Olupot Augustine aged, 23, another passenger, who sustained serious injuries and was rushed to Soroti Referral Hospital for emergency treatment.

According to ASP Edison Obukulem the East Kyoga mouth piece, the accident was caused by the motorcycle rider's miscalculation of the distance between his vehicle and the approaching Toyota Hilux which resulted to the high-speed collision that was a direct result of this misjudgment, leading to the tragic loss of life.

The bodies of the deceased have been taken to Soroti Referral Hospital’s mortuary for a post-mortem examination. Meanwhile, both the Toyota Hilux and the motorcycle have been towed to Central Police Station (CPS) Soroti for further inspection. The police are currently working on a detailed report, which will be made available once the investigation concludes.

This incident adds to a worrying trend of road accidents in the region, bringing the total number of fatalities in the past month to ten.

ASP Obukulem has voiced serious concerns about the state of road safety and discipline among drivers and motorcyclists. "The frequency of these accidents is alarming. We must all exercise greater caution on the roads," he stressed.

The region has recently experienced several severe accidents, including; a tragic incident in Katakwi where a Fuso truck carrying over 80 people lost control, resulting in one death and multiple injuries, a fatal accident in Abila, Katakwi, which claimed the lives of three individuals and another recent fatality in Kalaki where a female adult lost her life in a road crash.

In response to the rising number of accidents, the police are planning enhanced operations in collaboration with traffic authorities. These measures aim to improve road safety and prevent further tragedies. Several meetings with stakeholders have been held to address the increasing accident rates in the Teso sub-region.

As East Kyoga grapples with this latest tragedy, Obukulem calls for increased vigilance and road safety adherence grows stronger, with the hope that such incidents can be prevented in the future.