The Japanese Ambassador to Uganda, Mr Yutaka Nakamura on Friday afternoon escaped unhurt after the vehicle he was travelling in narrowly missed coming head-to-head with a Kitgum bound bus.
To avoid ramming into the over speeding bus, the ambassador’s driver pulled the car off the road and in the process; it veered off and landed into the swamp.
The Ambassador was traveling in his official car Toyota Frontrunner Silver Grey in color Reg. No. CD 19 02 U, when the incident occurred just 6KMs North- East Gulu’s main town at around 1:40PM.
Ambassador Nakamura was from Teepwoyo village, Unyama Sub County in Gulu district where he commissioned a multi billion shillings water project.
His vehicle was a lead car in a convoy from the function and was traveling towards Gulu town for stopover at Bomah Hotel.
All the occupants including the ambassador later evacuated the car before it was pulled out by a Toyota Pickup truck Reg. No UAK 549 Z.
Ambassador Nakamura was traveling with Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu, the Minister for Water and Environment, Mr David Onen, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Water, Kyosuke Kawazumi, the Japanese International Co-operation Agency (JICA) chief to Uganda and other officials from the districts of Acholi sub region.
In a show of solidarity, Minister Kamuntu a came out of his vehicle and continued his journey later together with the Japanese Ambassador.
Currently part of the bridge on Unyama Lalingo-Lingo stream which cuts through the Gulu- Kitgum Road is under construction by Chinese construction firm, China Railway 5.
Due to the widening and partial upgrade of the road which is undergoing a major rehabilitation works, motorists tend to over speed.
Japanese government through its development agency Japanese International Co-operation Agency (JICA) which injected 25 Billion Shillings (about US$ 7.9M) in water projects aimed at improving access to clean water and sanitation among the former internally displaced persons in the Acholi sub region.
