At least 20 schoolchildren and one adult died when a bus returning from a field trip crashed on a notorious stretch of road in eastern Uganda, in one of the country’s deadliest road accidents involving children in recent years.
The bus, carrying pupils from King David Junior School in Ndejje, crashed at about 8pm local time on Thursday at Chekwatit village in Kapchorwa district. Preliminary investigations suggest a mechanical fault caused the driver to lose control on Chekwatit Hill, a road that has seen numerous fatal collisions. The vehicle veered off the road, struck a large stone and overturned, police said.
“At least 20 pupils and a teacher died when their school bus crashed on a notorious Ugandan road after a mechanical fault.”
Emergency services found dozens of people had been ejected from the bus or trapped inside the wreckage. Survivors were taken to three separate hospitals. Sixty others are believed to be injured, including school staff.
“Sadly, 20 children and 1 adult, who happens to be the founder and director, Mr Tadeo Ssekade, have gone to be with the Lord,” the local government minister, Balaam Ateenyi Barugahara, posted on X from the scene. Uganda police confirmed 21 dead: 20 pupils and one adult.
Videos shared by eyewitnesses showed the bus badly damaged, with local residents rushing to help injured children. The Kapchorwa resident district commissioner, Stanley Bayole, praised the community response: “People brought bedding, offered transport and joined rescue efforts without hesitation. This is a strong sign of humanity and solidarity during a very difficult moment.”
The pupils were returning from a study tour to Sipi Falls, a tourist area. The crash has prompted the education minister, John Chrysostom Muyingo, to cancel all school educational trips until an investigation is complete. “As an immediate precautionary measure, we must do something about the safety of our children,” he told the New Vision news site.
Uganda records thousands of road deaths each year, with speeding, poorly maintained vehicles and dangerous roads among the leading causes. The latest crash comes amid renewed concern over school transport safety after several serious bus accidents in recent weeks.