- The casualty figure from a horrific school bus accident along the Kapchorwa–Mbale Road in eastern Uganda has climbed to 24 after three more critically injured pupils passed away in the hospital.
- The victims, students of King David Junior School based in Kampala, were returning from an educational field trip to the scenic Sipi Falls when the vehicle veered off the road and overturned.
- In direct response to the disaster, Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports has announced a temporary nationwide suspension of all school excursions to allow for a rigorous safety review.
A devastating road accident involving primary school students on an educational tour in eastern Uganda has claimed the lives of 24 pupils, following the tragic passing of three more children who were undergoing emergency medical treatment.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the catastrophic crash occurred along the Kaserem section of the Kapchorwa–Mbale highway as an Isuzu bus belonging to King David Junior School, located in Ndejje, Kampala, was making its return journey from a visit to Sipi Falls.
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Preliminary traffic reports indicate that the driver lost control of the vehicle while navigating a descent, causing the bus to strike a large roadside boulder and turn over completely.
The updated casualty figures were officially confirmed in a public statement released by the Uganda Police Force via SP Michael Kananura, the Public Relations Officer for the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety.
Kananura disclosed that while 18 of the young victims have been formally identified by relatives, six remaining bodies, split between Kapchorwa Hospital and Mbale Hospital, are yet to be recognized.
Currently, 23 surviving pupils remain hospitalized at the Kapchorwa General Hospital, where medical teams are treating various degrees of trauma and physical injuries sustained during the impact.
According to traffic authorities, the school’s excursion convoy originally comprised two large buses and two commercial taxis leaving Kampala.
Fortunately, the other three vehicles were not involved in the crash and have successfully transported the remaining unaffected students back to the capital aboard a regional transit bus.
The driver of the ill-fated vehicle survived the initial crash but is reported to be in critical condition under close medical supervision in Mbale.
Reacting swiftly to national outrage and safety concerns, Uganda’s Minister of Education and Sports convened an emergency stakeholder meeting on Friday.
The ministry subsequently announced an immediate, comprehensive freeze on all academic excursions, field trips, and school tours across the East African country.
The temporary ban will remain active while inter-agency committees execute a top-to-bottom investigation into the mechanical state of school-vetted transport fleets and formulate stricter transit protocols.
Additionally, all school groups currently out on active excursions have been directed to report to the nearest police commands to receive official security escorts back to their respective base institutions to prevent further transit mishaps.
