The Police are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding a tragic road crash on the Kabale-Mbarara highway that claimed the life of a German tourist and left two others severely injured.
The incident took place at Kabaraga village, Kyanamira sub-county, on Saturday, January 6, 2024, around 9:00 am. Dr Steffen Ralf Wendsche, a 58-year-old German tourist, lost his life in the crash, while his colleague, Silk Venus, 48, sustained injuries along with their driver, Morgan Nyombi, 60, a resident of Mulungu in Munyonyo, Kampala city. Nyombi, employed by the tourist company Kibo Slopes Uganda Ltd, was behind the wheel during the tragic event.
According to Michael Kananura, the spokesperson for the Police Traffic Directorate, the injured individuals and the deceased were transported to Kampala. The body of Dr Steffen Ralf Wendsche was taken to the City Mortuary in Mulago for a postmortem examination. Friends later retrieved the body and transported it to a funeral home while awaiting the necessary transportation documents.
The injured parties continue to receive treatment in Kampala as investigations into the crash remain ongoing.
Elly Maate, the spokesperson for the Kigezi Police region, provided details of the crash in a statement. The incident, registered as Kabale TAR 001/2024, occurred as the tourists were returning from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest after gorilla tracking and heading towards Kampala. The tourist vehicle, a Toyota Land Cruiser with registration number UAX 567C, was at a sharp corner in Kabaraga when a speeding Fuso truck with registration number UBH 009B attempted to overtake another vehicle coming from the opposite direction.
The collision between the Fuso truck and the tourist vehicle resulted in the fatal accident. The victims were initially taken to Kabale Referral Hospital for treatment but were later transferred to Kampala for further medical attention. The tourist vehicle remains parked at Kabale Police Station pending inspection by the Inspector of Vehicles as the inquiry progresses.
