48 dead in road mishap in Uganda: Reports

At least forty-eight people have died in northern Uganda when a bus hit a tractor driving with no lights at night and then a truck, the Ugandan Red Cross said on Saturday.

The accident took place on Friday night in the district of Kiryandongo, about 220 kilometers north of the capital Kampala, said national police spokesman, Emilian Kayima, who had earlier reported a death toll of at least 22, several media reports stated.

The wounded were transferred to the local hospital in the area.

Senior police officer in the region ASP Julius Hakiza said "the bus knocked the tractor from the rear and thereafter lost control resulting into a head-on collision with a trailer registration number, which was moving from the direction of Kampala," the AfricaNews reported.

When it comes to Uganda, it is said to have one of the worst records for road safety, owning to the poor condition of vehicles and roads.

The police statement says "many road accidents are a result of avoidable human undertakings.