Terrible: Five Dead On Spot After Taxi Collides With Motorcycle In Manafwa

Five people, including a six-month-old baby, were killed in a devastating road crash on Friday night along the Manafwa–Lwakhakha road in eastern Uganda.

The accident occurred at around 11:00 pm on April 10, 2026, at Bumakheti Village in Butiru Town Council, Manafwa District. It involved a commuter taxi, registration number UBG 919Z, and a Bajaj motorcycle, registration number KMGL 195Y.

According to police, all the victims were travelling on the motorcycle when it collided with the taxi. The impact of the crash killed all five occupants instantly.

Elgon Regional Police Spokesperson, Mr Rogers Taiika, identified the deceased as John Bosco Wakimwanyi, 24, the motorcycle rider and a resident of Bumirume Village in Bukigai Sub County, Bududa District, and Wanditi Exovel, 22, from Butiliku Upper Village in the same sub-county.

The other victims were Kutosi Ivan, 25, of Bumakhase East Village in Bududa District, Nanyama Sephia from Buchemayi Village in Namisindwa District, and her six-month-old daughter, Nambuya Trinah.

“It is alleged that the motor vehicle, which was carrying passengers, was heading from Manafwa towards the Lwakhakha border when it collided with the motorcycle carrying three adults and a juvenile. All the occupants of the motorcycle died on the spot,” Mr Taiika said in a police statement issued on April 11.

Police, together with traffic officers and detectives, visited the scene to establish the exact cause of the crash. The bodies of the deceased were taken to Mbale City Mortuary for postmortem examination.

The wrecked motorcycle was taken to Manafwa Central Police Station pending inspection, while the taxi was towed to Butiru Police Station for examination by the Inspector of Vehicles.

Authorities confirmed that the driver of the taxi fled the scene immediately after the crash and remains on the run. A manhunt has since been launched to bring him to justice.

The incident adds to the growing concern over road safety in Uganda. According to the 2025 Police Annual Crime Report, road crashes remain a major cause of death despite a general decline in reported cases. A total of 322,441 road accident cases were recorded in 2025, down from 426,432 in 2024.

However, fatal crashes increased to 4,602 in 2025, up from 4,434 the previous year, while serious and minor accidents also registered a rise.

Police continue to urge motorists to exercise caution, particularly at night, citing speeding, reckless driving, and negligence as leading causes of fatal accidents on Ugandan roads.