NORTHERN PROVINCE

GICUMBI — Two people died instantly while eleven others sustained serious injuries when a Nairobi bound Kampala Coach collided with a commuter taxi  on Tuesday.

The accident took place in the morning at Rwafandi trading center, along Kigali Gatuna highway. The injured were rushed to Kigali Central Hospital (CHK).

The taxi belonging to Sotra transport agency was heading to Kigali from Byumba.

Police and eyewitnesses identified the dead as Maurice Bigirimana the taxi driver and Alexander Magena a passenger who was seated in the co-driver’s seat of the taxi.

According to the witnesses, the taxi swayed from its lane attempting to avoid potholes along the highway when it rammed into the bus.

"The driver of Sotra minibus was driving on the wrong lane and could not see that the bus was approaching because of poor visibility caused by early morning fog resulting in the head on collision,” said an eye witness.

The police source explained that the victims rescued from the taxi were rushed to the hospital using an ONATRACOM bus that was heading to Kigali from Byumba.

The bus which was ferrying 49 passengers aboard, was slightly damaged at the front with no causalities reported and it returned to Kigali traffic Police station.

At 11 am, the bus passengers were given another bus to continue with their journey.

"There are 38 Nairobi bound passengers and 11 passengers destined to Kampala,” said a booking clerk, Shakira Nirere, at Nyabugogo bus Park.

Ends