Uganda School Bus Crash: 24 Pupils, School Founder Killed as Horror Accident Triggers Nationwide Suspension of School Trips

KAPCHORWA, Uganda — Uganda is mourning one of its deadliest school transport tragedies after at least 24 people, most of them primary school pupils, lost their lives in a horrific bus crash on Chekwatit Hill in Kapchorwa District.

The devastating accident occurred at about 8:00 p.m. on Thursday when an Isuzu bus (registration UA 108BQ) carrying pupils from King David Junior School in Ndejje, Makindye Division, Kampala, overturned while returning from an educational excursion to the famous Sipi Falls tourist attraction.

According to preliminary police investigations, the bus suffered a suspected mechanical failure, causing the driver to lose control on the steep and winding Chekwatit Hill road. The vehicle reportedly veered off the roadway, crashed into a large roadside rock, and overturned.

Authorities said the bus was carrying approximately 107 pupils at the time of the crash. Among those confirmed dead was Tadeo Ssekade, the founder and director of King David Junior School. Most of the victims were children between the ages of 8 and 12, making the tragedy one of the worst school-related road accidents in Uganda in recent years.

Several other pupils and adults sustained serious injuries and were rushed to Kapchorwa General Hospital, Kaserem Health Centre, and Mbale Regional Referral Hospital for emergency treatment. Health officials said some survivors remain in critical condition.

The heartbreaking incident has plunged families and the nation into mourning, with emotional scenes unfolding at hospitals and among relatives waiting for news of their loved ones.

In response to the tragedy, Education Minister John Chrysostom Muyingo announced the immediate suspension of all school trips across Uganda pending a comprehensive investigation and the introduction of stricter safety measures for educational excursions.

“The nation has suffered a great loss,” the minister said, stressing that stronger safeguards are needed to ensure children are protected during school trips.

Local Government Minister Balaam Ateenyi Barugahara, who visited the crash scene, confirmed the death toll and praised residents who rushed to rescue victims before emergency responders arrived.

Authorities are continuing efforts to identify all the victims, with DNA and other forensic methods expected to assist where necessary as grieving families await official confirmation.

The tragedy has reignited concerns over Uganda’s road safety record, particularly regarding school transport. Road safety advocates are calling for mandatory mechanical inspections of school buses, stricter passenger limits, tighter enforcement of transport regulations, and restrictions on nighttime travel involving schoolchildren.

Police spokesperson Michael Kananura confirmed that investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing, with suspected mechanical failure among the key areas under examination.

As Uganda mourns the young lives lost in the devastating accident, many citizens are demanding urgent reforms to prevent similar tragedies and ensure that educational trips no longer end in heartbreak.