Uganda’s media fraternity was thrown into mourning on Friday after two employees of Next Media Services were killed in a road crash along Entebbe Road while returning from an assignment, the company said.
The victims were identified as producer Badru Kasirye and Isaac Ndamagye, who died in the early hours of Friday after the accident in the Namulanda area.
Entertainment journalist Brian “Makona” Ssemanda, who was travelling with them, was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit where he was receiving treatment.
The three had been covering a celebrity boxing event involving entertainers Chicken Chicken and Shawa before the crash occurred.
In a statement, Next Media confirmed the accident and expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
“Badru Kasirye and Isaac Ndamagye unfortunately lost their lives in the accident. Brian ‘Makona’ Ssemanda is in the Intensive Care Unit receiving treatment, under close watch from his medical team. We remain in direct contact with the hospital and will share updates on his condition as they become available,” the company said.
The broadcaster appealed for privacy for the affected families, adding that updates on Ssemanda’s condition would be provided once confirmed.
The deaths prompted an outpouring of grief across Uganda’s media industry, with journalists, broadcasters and members of the public paying tribute to the two colleagues and praying for Ssemanda’s recovery.
The cause of the crash was not immediately clear, and authorities had yet to release details of the circumstances surrounding the accident.
The incident adds to growing concern over road safety in Uganda, where fatal crashes continue to claim thousands of lives every year despite ongoing government enforcement campaigns and road safety reforms
