Uganda school bus crash death toll climbs to 24 after three more pupils die

Police in Uganda say three additional schoolchildren have succumbed to injuries from a deadly bus accident in the country’s east, lifting the overall toll to 23 pupils and one adult.

The vehicle, packed with students and staff from King David Junior School in Kampala, was heading back to the capital on Thursday night after an outing to Sipi Falls when the crash took place.

Investigators reported that the driver lost control at Chekwatit village in Kapchorwa district. The bus flipped and struck a large stone. Six of those who died have not yet been named. The adult fatality is thought to be the school’s founder and principal.

Many children were taken to medical facilities. Twenty-three of the wounded remain under care at Kapchorwa General Hospital. Police said three other vehicles that travelled with the group reached home without incident.

On Friday, Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports directed a countrywide pause on school excursions so officials can conduct a “comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding recent crashes involving schoolchildren.” Officers also said they will “provide escorts to ensure the safe return of learners to their respective schools.”

Uganda ranks among the nations with the poorest road-safety outcomes globally. Accidents are frequently linked to defective vehicles, bad roads, and excessive speed. Earlier this month, 14 people were killed in a bus-and-truck collision in northern Uganda. In October, at least 46 died when two buses crashed into each other on a major highway.