By KT Reporter
The family of a woman who was knocked dead by a train in Jinja City last week says her hearing impairment prevented her from hearing the hooting, which they believe contributed to the accident. 45-year-old Habiba Nabirye was on September 17, 2025, struck by a train from the Rippon Nile pier heading to the Jinja railway station. Her body was mutilated beyond recognition and later taken to the Jinja Regional Referral Hospital mortuary for postmortem.
In his statement at Jinja Central Police Station, the train operator, Stephen Kusaba, said he hooted several times but Nabirye kept walking along the railway line, leaving him with no option to save her. Her niece, Ramula Aliyinza, said Nabirye earned a living by doing odd jobs such as cleaning fish along the Nile River bank, about a kilometer from the railway.
Aliyinza explained that Nabirye often crossed the railway with guidance from colleagues who could hear, but on the fateful day she was unwell and returned home earlier than usual. She suspects Nabirye was looking in the opposite direction and failed to notice the advancing train. Being unable to hear, Aliyinza said, left her aunt at greater risk.
Aliyinza recounted that after Nabirye failed to return home, she searched among friends but got no answers. Two days later, she received a call from police to help identify the body of an unknown woman at Jinja Hospital mortuary. “It was unbelievable, but when I saw her dress and the birthmark on her left leg, I confirmed it was my aunt,” Aliyinza said. She added that the family remains traumatized and is only managing with psychosocial support from friends.
She is now urging authorities to restrict pedestrian access to railway lines to prevent similar accidents. Meanwhile, the Kiira Regional Police Spokesperson, James Mubi, confirmed that the traffic department documented the scene and collected witness statements to compile a comprehensive report. He also urged the public to remain vigilant and cautious when near railway lines as part of efforts to strengthen railway transport safety.
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