At least 20 schoolchildren and one adult were killed after a bus carrying pupils home from a school trip veered off the road and overturned in eastern Uganda, police said on Friday.
Uganda has long struggled with poor road safety, with fatal bus and truck crashes occurring frequently on the country’s poorly maintained highways.
The bus, belonging to King David Junior School in the capital, Kampala, was returning from an excursion to Sipi Falls in Kapchorwa District when the crash occurred, according to preliminary police investigations.
“The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, which veered off the road, struck a large stone along the roadside and overturned,” police said in a statement posted on X.
The crash killed one adult male and 20 pupils, while three adult men and several children were injured, police said.
Authorities released an image showing the bus overturned and severely damaged. Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing, while the injured continue to receive treatment in hospital.
Deadly road accidents are common in Uganda, where poor road conditions, speeding and reckless driving have contributed to a high number of fatalities. In October last year, at least 46 people were killed when two buses collided on a major highway.
According to official figures, Uganda recorded 4,434 fatal road crashes and 5,144 deaths in 2024.
AFP
