Medical fraternity mourns doctor killed in Nakawa traffic lights accident

HICGI News Agency

May 30

Updated by Faith Barbara Namagembe at 1126 EAT on Monday 30th May 2022.

The medical fraternity is mourning the death Dr Emmeline Bagonza, a specialist in primary care, preventive medicine, and community medicine.

Bagonza died in a road crash on Friday evening. At the time of her death, the renowned physician was attached to International Medical Centre (IMC) clinics in Kampala.

"We are deeply saddened to announce the death of our colleague, Dr. Emmeline Bagonza, she passed away on Friday in a motor accident in Nakawa, Emmaline was a valued physician at IMC and her absence will be felt deeply by her peers and patients alike, the statement from IMC read in part".

Dr Sabrina Kitaka a close friend of the deceased, described her as a very hard-working and caring person that the country and the medical fraternity have lost.

"Dr Bagonza was careful and responsible, I understand that she always carried her own helmet. It is sad that she lost her life at a junction that has traffic lights where more safety is expected," said Kitaka.

John Bosco Welike, a boda boda cyclist at Spear Motors Nakawa stage, said the accident occurred, when a commuter taxi that was coming from Kampala city, failed to break at Nakawa traffic lights and rammed into two boda bodas that were ahead.

"Boda bodas were in front, so they stopped as a result of the traffic lights, but the taxi driver did not respect the traffic lights, he failed to break and ended up knocking the boda bodas and another taxi," Welike said.

Welike said Bagonza lost her life as she tried to jump off the boda boda and was knocked by the vehicle which had lost control.

"She tried to jump off the boda boda to save her life, she fell down in the road, as she tried to run away, that taxi that had lost control hit her," Welike noted.

Traffic police spokesperson Faridah Nampiima, says that the driver of the taxi registration number UAW 332T Yuda Bukenya was arrested and investigations are ongoing. According to the 2021 annual crime report, 4,159 people died in road crashes last year. Of these, most of the victims were motorcyclists followed by passengers on motorcycles.