Nine killed in central Uganda road accident

Kampala: Nine people died while five others were injured in a road accident in the central Uganda district of Luweero, police said Sunday.

Police in a statement issued here said the Saturday accident occurred after a public service vehicle collided with a truck. The statement said the alleged speeding passenger service vehicle (van) traveling from Kampala to Gulu burst its rear tire, lost control and overturned several times before colliding with an oncoming truck.

The passengers who died and others injured were in the van.

According to police statistics, some 20,000 road accidents occur nationwide each year, causing more than 2,000 deaths and thus making Uganda among the countries with the highest traffic fatality rates.