After a fatal accident that left over 20 people dead and several others injured more than a week ago, the government withdrew a license from Link Bus Service Company to determine the cause of the accident.
Following a fatal accident more than a week ago that left over 20 people dead and several others also injured, government called for the withdraw of a license from Link Bus Service Company to established the proper cause of the accident.
In this government through the Works and Transport Minister said the accident was a human error and in this, they suspended the company operations for two weeks.
“In the Meantime, we have suspended the operations of link buses for a period of two weeks as we are carrying out an assessment of all his fleet plus the drivers to identify if there is something wrong with the fleet management,” Katumba’s statement read in part announcing the suspension shortly after the accident.
In the wake of events, however, the two weeks suspension has been called off.
Addressing journalists at the Media Centre on Friday, the Gen Katumba Wamala said although the driver of the bus, Paul Ssempagala had over 20 years experience, evidence is clear he caused the accident.
Katumba said as a bus driver with no recorded crash history or reckless driving, he was captured by police CCTV moving at a speed of 99km per hour above the prescribed speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour.
He said the driver was also captured driving with one arm while the other holding an object suspected to have been a mobile phone.
“He decided to overtake a fuel tanker at a corner, at a high speed and on a slope. When he tried to negotiate the road, the bus failed to steady on the road,” the transport minister said.
He added that despite all these facts, the government has gone ahead to lift the ban on the company however, stressed directions have been issued on how they should operate and once not followed, the licence will be recalled again.
Meanwhile, speaking about the fatal accident earlier on, the Bus company managing director, Solomon Nsimire said they are yet to establish the main cause of the accident.
“It was devastating but we are also not yet sure about what caused this accident but when we find out the cause, we shall return and tell you,” Nsimire said in an interview with NBS TV.
