8 Congolese refugees die, 29 injured in Kisoro road accident 

Eight Congolese refugees died and 29 others sustained injuries in a motor vehicle accident along the Kisoro-Kabale road in Rubanda district.

The accident occurred at around 10:00 pm Friday and involved a minibus, registration number, UBK 037G that failed to break while heading to Rwamwanja refugee camp in Kamwenge district from the Uganda-Democratic Republic of Congo border of Bunagana in Kisoro district. 

The victims are from areas of North Kivu province, especially Rutshuru territory, one of the areas affected by the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel insurgency.

One of the casualties only identified as Hakiza told our reporter that after the failure to brake, the headlights of the vehicle immediately went off and in the process it failed to negotiate a sharp corner while at Kamukirwa village, Nyarurambi ward, Rubanda town council.

Hakiza says that the driver of the vehicle is among the dead. Elly Maate, police spokesperson for Kigezi region says that among the dead are three female minors, three female and two male adults. Maate says that the 29 casualties were rushed to Kabale regional referral hospital for treatment. 

Maate also says that the bodies of the deceased were also taken to Kabale regional referral hospital mortuary for postmortem. Maate says that preliminary investigations indicate that the vehicle overturned about 100 metres off the road. He also says that the victims are escapees from Rwamwanja refugee camp in Kamwenge district. Maate says that particulars of both deceased and causalities are not yet available.