Two people were critically injured and 13 sustained minor injuries when a commuter taxi, yesterday, overturned along the Kacyiru-Nyabugogo road in Gasabo District, Kigali City.

The vehicle registration No. RAA 058Q which was headed to Nyabugogo from Kimironko overturned near Kinamba, a few metres from the offices of the Consultative Forum for Political Organisations (CFPO) at about 1:30pm.

Eyewitnesses said that the vehicle lost it brakes and the driver, who fled the scene shortly after the accident, tried to divert it to a nearby junction.  The driver was only identified as Semushi.

"I saw the vehicle moving downhill at very high speed and passengers calling out for help like it had no driver. When it reached here, the driver forced it off the road but it over-turned after it failed to climb the hill. These people (passengers) are lucky because we rushed to the scene,” an eyewitness said.

The seemingly un-roadworthy vehicle was later towed away by a breakdown.

 The seriously injured passengers identified as Claudine Nyandwi and Parfait Kayijamahe, were rushed to the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK) and Kibagabaga hospitals, respectively.

Kayijamahe suffered a leg fracture. Other patients were rushed to Kacyiru Police Hospital.

Police Spokesperson, Supt. Theos Badege cautioned drivers against disrespecting traffic rules, citing lack of regular mechanical check ups and over-speeding as the major causes of traffic accidents.

All vehicles are supposed to undergo a periodic mechanical inspection at the Remera based Motor vehicle Inspection Centre (MIC), which was established to help curb the rate of road accidents in the country.

Ends