Uganda Accidents: My friend, My Classmate, Susan Alum is Gone! May Her Soul Rest in Peace.
Uganda accidents claim more than 30 people per day. Today’s Link Bus accident that claimed more than 20 lives took with itself a friend and classmate, Susan Alum. May Her Soul Rest in Peace. Amen
As a 2018 MPH class of Uganda Martyrs University, we have a WhatsApp group where we catch up with each one of us, and what we are up to in our endeavors. Today, as went about our businesses, discussing how we could organize a get-together meet-up for all graduates of our class irrespective of when they exactly completed, bad news came in; our very own classmate, Susan Alum, had just lost her life in the Link bus accident that had just happened.
She was travelling from her home area, Fort Portal, to Kampala for this May 2022 graduation at Uganda Martyrs, Nkozi. She is not alone; more than 20 lives have been lost in the nasty accident!
Susan was a friendly, ever-smiling young woman. She had a whole life, full of friends, and endeavors for a greater future. As a classmate, she was always helpful, sharing knowledge and working around with everyone, caring for the success of others in the same class. WhatsApp messages from friends indicate how she was a jolly lady, always smiling.
She was once a graduate of Aga Khan University, and MPH at Uganda Martyrs University was her restless endeavors to get better, and serve better.
But as they say, God wanted her more. He took her away, away from us all.
May her soul rest in eternal peace. And may the good Lord comfort her family, friends, and everyone else who have lost a friend, relative, or someone in the accident.
The extent of the problem of Uganda Accidents
I had written about accidents broadly in 2018 following an accident that involved a boat. Read that here.
Every day, the World Health Organization says, 3000 people die in road accidents across the globe, with more than 95% happening in the developing world. In Uganda, every day, about 24 people die due to accidents. In 2020 alone, Police say, we had 12,000 accidents, with resultant 3,663 deaths! This is an underestimation!
According to the World Health Organization (2018), we lost 11,000 people to accidents in 2018 alone, which is roughly 30 people per day. Still, in my view, as a person who works in Mulago Hospital, that is not true. 30 could just be for Kampala Metropolitan alone per day.
Today, a bus, Link, got involved in an accident and claimed more than 20 people on board. One of them, Susan, is or was my MPH classmate at Uganda Martyrs University. She was coming for graduation happening this May. I feel sad that she and others have left this life in this emergent way!
More than 90% of all accidents on Uganda roads are due to human error, and the rest are due to mechanical issues with vehicles. Of the human error accidents, the most common ones are reckless or careless or distracted driving, including over-speeding, overtaking, overloading, neglect of road rules and signs, and other human errors. This means that these causes can be prevented or reduced. But how come we haven’t surely prevented them?
READ THIS TOO: Accidents in Uganda: Does Uganda deserve saving?
For example, a new study reveals that more than 60% of Kampala young drivers are on the phone texting or speaking or trying to listen to WhatsApp audio while driving. The survey among hundreds of taxi drivers in Kampala revealed that being on the phone increased accident risk 4 times more. As you can see, being on the phone while driving is deadly, not only to the driver but his passengers and everyone else on the road. And, surprisingly, Ugandans get away with it, every day!
So, can Uganda’s accident rate be reduced? You surely have the answer!
READ THIS TOO: Top 10 health crises in Uganda other than COVID-19
May the soul of the deceased lady, my OG, my classmate, and my friend, Susan Alum, rest in peace. May God comfort her family and everyone else who has lost friends and relatives in the nasty accident.
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NB: If you have some good memories about this lady, maybe at work or in your other circles, you can share them via the comments section. Share everything great about her. Let us build her a small biography, full of memories with love. You can as well send your comments to my email; miklahlife@gmail.com or just on my WhatsApp 0779342057.
May her soul rest in peace.
Damali
May 4, 2022You have an Art of writing… Thank u so much!!!? God bless u.
May Suzie’s life rest in Eternal Peace
Vicent Nemeyimana
May 4, 2022Thank you Damali. Thank you
Esther Nanyunja
May 4, 2022Suzan was such a jolly lady, she wished everyone well. She always had that smiling face.
Vicent Nemeyimana
May 4, 2022Amen. And thank you. May her soul rest in peace indeed
Sarah Muyanja
May 4, 2022We are AKU Alumni class of 2008. Susan was always reserved and would speak when there was need. Very smart. She received the award of academic excellence during our convocation in February 2011. May the Almighty rest her soul in eternal peace.
Vicent Nemeyimana
May 4, 2022Wow. That was amazing. Yeah, she was always smart.
Kemigisha Immaculate
May 4, 2022I still can’t believe Susan is gone. I just spoke with her yesterday morning. It is so sad to lose such an honest soul. We always shared the steps we would reach during research and recently when we had to defend our work we talked for a long time. I know the world will miss you dear. Rest with the angels.
Vicent Nemeyimana
May 4, 2022Yeah, she was good at sharing knowledge. You must have really enjoyed her during your research. Well, she is gone. We will meet her some day. RIP
Isaac Tenywa
May 4, 2022Still in disbelief that her life as been cut short. I and her shared the same discussion group from year one ,a very jolly.committed person.i do recall when she got a fracture and we would carry her from the car to come and attend lectures and escort her back home in Lubaga.suzan may your soul RIP.
Vicent Nemeyimana
May 4, 2022Bambi. Yeah, really, this life is a moving wind
Evelyn Birungi
May 5, 2022May her soul rest in eternal peace.
Susan was such a respectful and jolly soul that anyone would feel comfortable around. Her commitment and being assertive would drive me not to give up in class.
Susan we love you and we pray you rest with the angels. Rest in Power.
Vicent Nemeyimana
May 5, 2022Amen. She was dedicated and committed. And, yeah, she was assertive, very clear, and presented topics with love, focusing on making one understand rather than just being there presenting fancy things. She was a unique academician. She would make a great public health officer. But as they say, God loved her more. May her soul rest in peace. AMEN
Birungi Alfunsi
May 5, 2022Its sad to lose such a person with such commitment.
The only way accidents can be reduced on the roads is by educating the public and have active traffic officers. Any one should be able to take part.
Vicent Nemeyimana
May 5, 2022Yes, today I was sharing with friends, and they emphasized awareness and sensitization courses, for drivers. Most people actually don’t know how big accidents are!
AndInda Maureen
May 5, 2022I supervised Susan for her MPH research.
It was about Menstrual hygiene in schools. Susan was always committed in accomplishing her tasks.
Whenever l talked to her, l appreciated her humility and maturity.Now she is gone.
I know Susan was a good human being.
May God judge her with mercy and receive her soul.
I am deeply hurt that she did not see the joy of graduation yet she worked really hard to achieve it.
Vicent Nemeyimana
May 5, 2022Yeah, she worked hard for the graduation. Comments from friends reveal how she was excited about the whole thing. She had received her gown, tried it on, and had been chatting with a fellow friend how they will seriously take photos. She knew she had worked for it, and was ready to celebrate it all. And yet God had different plans. Oh my God!
Atimango
May 5, 20222015/2016 internship at Mubende RRH, so humble, genuine smiles full of life, she minded her business, above all loved patients enjoyed her work and served with all her best. May the Lord Rest her soul in Eternal peace. Susan Gone too soon you will dearly be missed. Its a great loss to our country.
Vicent Nemeyimana
May 5, 2022Oh dear, yeah, she minded her business a lot. Had no biases against anyone, and always enjoyed helping. She was a lovely soul
Kyeroba Martin
May 5, 2022I did internship with Suzan in mubende RRH in 2015/2016 as a graduate nurse. But during that time, she used to be a reserved lady who would speak when necessary and would offer good advice to us the colleagues. Coz of that she was like our maama and we kept in distant touch untill I got bad news yesterday of her demise. MHSRIEP
Vicent Nemeyimana
May 5, 2022Oh dear, i feel you. Then your ‘mom’, your advisor is surely gone. But we will see her some day. Let us keep hope alive
Aidah Nanvuma
May 5, 2022It’s such a sad day. I met Susan in 2015 at Mubende Regional Referral hospital while we were both doing our nursing internship. She was a great friend, had a mature minded personality and knew what she wanted! She told us about IDI and interested us in joining the Institute. She was a strong consistent believer and so full of positivity.
After her research forum presentation in Dec last year, we made plans to put together panel to support her mock defense.
As the year started, there was so much going on. But I am glad she followed through with it and that she was on her way to graduate this Friday with her masters.
So from my internship year we had a WhatsApp group that stayed since 2015 and we have been catching up there once in a while.
It’s so sad to have lost such an energetic soul, so full of potential and dreams.
Her smile and laughter were so pure as her good heart.
You will be missed Susan Alum.
Rest well with the Angels dear.
Vicent Nemeyimana
May 5, 2022OH Aidah, i still feel your pain. Oh yeah, indeed a lot was going on, but she seemed a woman who never gives up. Susan had had an accident even before, but she pulled through. Even when she was still walking unsteadily, the young woman came to class. And now her efforts were about to pay off, and, God has said no. God has a perfect reason for everything. All we can do is wish her well. MAY GOD GRANT HER REST.