Ugandans are enraged by Y.Y Bus Management for failing to take stern action against their reckless drivers despite several concerns raised by the public.
In less than 6 days, two buses have been involved in accident leaving many scores dead and others terribly injured on Mbale- Tirinyi road.
On August 12, last Monday, two people were killed and more than 40 others got injured when the bus lost control and overturned at Busei B village, three kilometres along the Iganga-Bugiri highway.
Witness said the bus registration number UAQ 906 T which was heading to Mbale from Kampala lost control and overturned several times.
Witness further attributed the accident to sheer reckless driving.
Six days after, another bus whose registration number is yet to be ascertained has Sunday evening (18th August) rammed into a commuter taxi and all the occupants are feared dead.
The crash occurred on Mbale-Tirinyi highway in Busembatia.
However, all the passengers of the bus were “safe”, the management of YY Coaches and Courier Services said in a statement.
“Police are still working to ascertain the names and identities of the dead taxi passengers. May their souls rest in peace. We shall update you as and when we get more information,” the statement said.
Whereas Y.Y management didn’t disclose cause of the accident, Ugandans who drove past the scene took pictures of the bus and the wreckage of the taxi.
Many lifeless bodies could be scene lying on the tarmac in a pool of blood.
Going by the pictures it could be evident a few or no passengers in taxi survived.
Information which this website hadn’t verified indicated that 14 passengers had perished.
A section of the public took to social media to attack Y.Y management for turning a deaf ear on their safety concerns.
Parliament’s communications director Chris Obore who is always a regular on that road (he comes from Teso) criticized drivers of these buses who forget that they are driving people.
“YY coaches you bought the buses to transport people not animals. You are in business because of people. But the reckless driving witnessed on the roads indicate your ego is too big to see reason. Why should your buses be driven as if you are angry with the road? A lasting business cares about reputation. You don’t seem to care about the complaints other road users and passengers bring about you. You are too reckless and you are destroying lives. You are ruining families. Do business sensibly,” he wrote on Facebook.
His post triggered emotions and anger as more Ugandans recounted their painful experience with Y.Y coaches.
“I used one one Friday 2nd august on my way to otuboi.
On booking I was receipted UAZ, on boarding, they showed me a bus whose number plate was covered with a paper when I tried to inquire a young man seated under the umbrella at Namayuba was arrogant which prompted me to raise my Voice and I demanded for a refund on realising that I had ‘boiled’ they told me its UAV.
In a nutshell these guys need to be off road now for a while till they accept business acumen otherwise people shall continue dying. Help us lobby this,” Peter Engwedu said.
Deo Omoding Nyait also said, “Over speeding and unnecessary over taking. I was shocked one day when YY bus struggled to overtake a saloon car on a narrow marrum road.”
