Police in Iganga District have launched an investigation into a road crash that claimed the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Vice Chairperson in-charge of Karamoja Sub-region, Simon Aleper on Tuesday morning.
Busoga East Police Spokesperson, Diana Nandaula, says the crash happened at Bukona Village, Nakalama Sub-county along the Mbale-Tirinyi Highway at around 1am.
According to Nandaula, Aleper, who was the lone occupant of his Land Cruiser registration number UAP 787Q, is suspected to have collided with an unidentified vehicle that forced him off the road, resulting in his death.
“It is suspected that the deceased’s vehicle swerved off the road into a ditch, after which an oncoming car knocked it; but we are yet to establish the truth,” Nandaula has said.
Nandaula added that the deceased was coming from the direction of Mbale, while the unidentified vehicle was coming from the Iganga side.
“Aleper’s body was first taken to Nakavule Hospital in Iganga town and later transferred to Mulago Hospital,” she said, adding that police have commenced investigations into the cause of the road accident and started a manhunt for the driver of the second vehicle.
The Iganga District NRM Chairperson, Abubaker Walubi, said the deceased was a close friend, and they bonded well when they travelled to China as NRM chairpersons in 2020.
“Since then, our friendship has remained intact. He was a very kind person who liked to see everyone happy. NRM party has lost a committed member who had the party at heart,” Mr Walubi said in a brief eulogy.
The NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong also earlier spoke to KFM about Aleper’s demise
“We were having sec meeting this morning and that’s the reason as to why he was traveling to Kampala, unfortunately he got an accident and passed on and we will make other announcement at the right time”, Tadwong confirmed.
