A 16-year-old Congolese asylum seeker, Lydia Mbakemiye, lost her life on Monday after being struck by a truck at the Nyakabande reception center in Kisoro District.
Originally from Kiwanja in Rutshuru Territory, North Kivu Province, Mbakemiye had been waiting in line for registration and screening around midday when the tragedy occurred.
The Isuzu FVZ truck, registration number UAU 728X, belonged to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and was delivering mobile toilets to the center.
Eyewitnesses said that while many in the queue stepped aside to let the truck pass, Mbakemiye was fatally hit as she returned to her spot in line, dying instantly.
Kigezi Regional Police Spokesperson Elly Maate confirmed the incident, noting that the body was taken to Kisoro Hospital mortuary for a postmortem. Investigations are ongoing.
The Nyakabande reception center is currently hosting more than 6,000 asylum seekers fleeing violence in North Kivu, largely driven by the ongoing insurgency involving M23 rebels.
