A school bus carrying pupils from King David Junior School crashed in eastern Uganda on Thursday night, killing 20 children and one adult, authorities confirmed. The incident occurred near Chekwatit village in Kapchorwa district, as the bus returned to Kampala from an educational trip to Sipi Falls.
Uganda suspends school trips after fatal bus crash
In response to the tragedy, Uganda’s government announced an immediate suspension of all school outings and excursions until further notice. The Uganda Police Force stated that preliminary investigations suggest the driver lost control, causing the bus to veer off the road and overturn after striking a large stone. The adult fatality is believed to be the school’s founder and headteacher.
More than a dozen children and three adults were injured in the crash, with 28 children hospitalised—nine in critical condition, according to Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi. Residents arrived at the scene before emergency services, assisting in removing victims from the wreckage, as shown in footage released by the Uganda Red Cross Society. Some survivors were transported to hospitals in pick-up trucks.
Uganda’s ongoing road safety crisis
The crash underscores Uganda’s persistent road safety challenges, with its roads ranked among the most dangerous in a region already plagued by high fatality rates. Officials frequently attribute accidents to speeding, poorly maintained vehicles, and substandard road conditions. Earlier this month, 14 people died in a collision between a bus and a truck in northern Uganda, while in October, 46 were killed in a multi-vehicle pile-up on the Kampala-Gulu highway.
The government has yet to release the names or ages of the deceased children. Authorities have not indicated when the suspension on school trips may be lifted.
