26 seriously injured in Kibuye accident

SOUTHERN PROVINCE MUHANGA— Twenty six passengers were yesterday seriously injured when the vehicle they were traveling in lost control and swerved off the road, along the Kibuye highway.

Monday, June 29, 2009
Angelique Munganyinka carries an baby belonging to an unidentifed injured mother. (Photo/ D.Sabiiti)

SOUTHERN PROVINCE

MUHANGA— Twenty six passengers were yesterday seriously injured when the vehicle they were traveling in lost control and swerved off the road, along the Kibuye highway.

According to Police, the accident involving a Kigali bound Onatracom bus took place at Nyange trading center in the early hours.

The passengers, aboard an Onatracom bus Reg. No GR 531C, were rescued by police in Kibuye and Muhanga who rushed to the scene shortly after the accident.

By press time, 22 passengers had been admitted at Kabgayi Hospital and said to be in a critical condition.

Police attributed the accident to over speeding, saying the driver attempted to overtake at  a sharp curve; a claim the bus driver, Juvenal Muyenzi, 42, denied.

"The brakes failed as I lost control and the bus hit the pavement as I tried to overtake another Onatracom bus.” Muyenzi, who was in police custody said.

Some of the injured passengers who talked to The New Times said that the driver was over speeding in the course of overtaking the two vehicles ahead.

‘The driver tried to avoid hitting a pedestrian but lost control and rolled off-road,” said Edison Mushinzimana.

Police also commended one Angelique Munganyinka, who rescued a two-year old infant after her mother was seriously injured in the accident.

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