MOGADISHU (KAAB TV) – At least two people including a woman were killed and two others injured at Jubba junction in Mogadishu on Wednesday after a truck carrying containers collided with a minibus.
Eyewitnesses recounted the horrific incident, stating that the minibus, waiting to pick up passengers, was struck by the truck loaded with containers from the Mogadishu seaport.
“It was a sudden incident. The heavily-loaded truck was trying to take turn but went side and overran the minibus,” eyewitness Hassan Abdinur said.
Mogadishu Mayor, Yusuf Jimale Madale, visited the scene later in the evening, expressing concern over the safety of the capital’s roads.
He announced immediate measures, declaring, “Trucks from the seaport will not be allowed to use roads during the night.”
However, skepticism looms as similar orders had been issued before without enforcement. The mayor promised a thorough investigation, vowing to hold accountable those responsible for allowing trucks to operate during the day.
“The blame will be on those who permitted such trucks to use the road in the daytime,” he added.
Madale emphasized the role of traffic police in curbing road accidents caused by trucks, citing concerns over untrained drivers, aged vehicles, and inadequate traffic regulations.
Compounding the issue, corruption and weak regulations have hindered efforts to address unsafe road conditions and vehicles, as acknowledged by traffic police.
Decades of civil unrest in Mogadishu have left infrastructure, including roads, in dire condition, exacerbating road safety challenges in the city.