Nun Dies In Tragic Road Accident in Yumbe District

A 57-year-old nun, Driciru Lilly, from Lodonga Cathedral Basilica Catholic Parish, has succumbed to injuries sustained in a fatal road crash along the Koboko-Yumbe road. The incident occurred on November 8, 2025, at Kuru Trading Center, highlighting ongoing concerns about road safety in the North West Nile region.

According to a police report from Yumbe Police Station (Reference: TSD 07/08/11/2025, TAR 42/2025), the accident involved a sky-blue Mazda CX-5 (registration UBP 121F) and a numberless Bajaj Boxer motorcycle. Both vehicles were traveling in the same direction from Koboko toward Yumbe when the crash happened around 12:40 PM.

SP Collins Asea, the North West Nile Regional Police Spokesperson, stated that the Mazda driver, identified as Richard Newton, a 35-year-old male from the Amadi tribe, engaged in reckless driving.

This led to him colliding with the motorcycle ridden by Mambo Hillary, a 25-year-old resident of Okpo Cell, Luzira Ward, in Lodonga Town Council. Driciru Lilly, who was a passenger on the motorcycle, sustained severe injuries.

“The motorcycle passenger sustained injuries and was rushed to the hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries,” Asea said.

He attributed the crash primarily to reckless driving by the Mazda driver. Police officers, led by the district traffic office, visited the scene immediately after the incident. Both vehicles have been impounded at Yumbe Police Station for inspection by investigation officers.

The driver was issued with a Form 94, along with PF 48A and B. The victim was admitted to the hospital prior to her death, and her body is now at Kuru Hospital mortuary awaiting a postmortem examination.

This tragedy comes amid broader road safety challenges in Uganda. The Uganda Police Force Annual Crime Report for 2024 reveals a 6.4% increase in road traffic crashes compared to 2023, with casualties rising by 4.4%. While common traffic offenses dropped by 19.2%from 528,025 cases in 2023 to 426,432 in 2024, the report notes that an average of 14 people die daily from road accidents. The peak time for such incidents is between 18:00 and 19:59, with 3,780 crashes recorded during that period.

Authorities urge drivers to exercise caution and adhere to traffic rules to prevent further loss of life on Uganda’s roads.