By KT Reporter
Kira Road Police Division is investigating an incident in which a fallen network fibre pole along Mawanda Road struck and killed the chairperson of the Kayunga road Boda boda stage. According to colleagues at Kayunga stage who spoke to URN, the deceased, Saidi Mulasira, 65, had served as their chairperson for over 20 years.
They said he had picked up a passenger along Mawanda Road, en route to Kololo on Monday, when he was hit by a falling pole reportedly being erected by employees believed to be from Simba Telecom Fibre near Church Road. Tadeo Tinkamulemi, the Defence secretary of the Kayunga boda-boda stage, recounted that he was with Mulasira at their usual breakfast spot on Mawanda Road at around 10:00 a.m., where they were discussing election matters.
He said the chairperson later left to pick up a customer, only for them to receive news that he had been rushed to Kitante Medical Centre after being struck by a falling pole. He said he rushed to the medical facility, and upon arrival, the deceased was still alive but critically injured. The hospital advised them to transfer him to Mulago National Referral Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday morning.
“We called for an ambulance and rushed him to Mulago, hoping he would survive. They conducted scans and admitted him immediately, indicating they would assess whether surgery was necessary. Unfortunately, he was bleeding internally, and in the morning, we received news from his son that he had passed away around 8:00 a.m.,” Tinkamulemi said.
Abby Mayanja, a resident of Nsoba—where family and friends were organizing a vigil—said the deceased was unaware of the ongoing network pole works, as there were no warning signs alerting motorists. He said Mulasira was hit on the head by the falling pole and fell off the motorcycle together with his customer.
Mayanja, who was among the first responders at the scene, noted that the workers were allegedly removing old wires and replacing them with new fibre lines when the incident occurred. He added that the workers fled immediately after the accident.
URN could not independently verify which company was working on the network lines at the time of the incident. When contacted on their official lines, a Simba Telecom Fibre representative said they were not aware of any such incident involving their workers and advised the family to visit their offices for further engagement.
Boda-boda riders and colleagues of the deceased condemned the reckless manner in which network fibre companies operate, often fixing and removing poles without posting warning signs for motorists. They demanded justice for their fallen colleague.
Others described Mulasira as a hardworking and sociable man who welcomed newcomers to his stage and encouraged a savings culture within the boda-boda community. They added that he was well-informed about current affairs, both local and international.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Patrick Onyango told URN that Kira Road Police had opened investigations into the incident, although details were still scanty. On Monday, Police Spokesperson ACP Kituuma Rusoke had cautioned motorists to exercise caution on the roads, especially during the rainy season, to avoid accidents caused by flooding, electrocution, and falling trees or poles.
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