At least 20 schoolchildren and one adult have died after a bus transporting pupils on a study trip overturned on Chekwatit Hill in the Kapchorwa district of eastern Uganda on Thursday evening, according to local officials and police. The bus, belonging to King David Junior School in Ndejje, went off the road at around 20:00 local time (17:00 GMT) in Kawowo area. Police said the vehicle veered off the carriageway, struck a large roadside stone, and overturned. Dozens of pupils and school staff members sustained injuries in the crash.
Mechanical Fault Suspected in Fatal Crash
Early investigations suggest the bus developed a mechanical fault before the driver lost control on the hill, a stretch of road that has previously been the scene of multiple serious accidents. Local officials said preliminary investigations pointed to a mechanical fault that caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle on the hill. The crash occurred as the pupils were returning from a visit to Sipi Falls, a popular tourist attraction in the region.
School Founder Among the Dead
The adult fatality was identified as Tadeo Ssekade, the founder and director of King David Junior School. Minister of Local Government, Balaam Ateenyi Barugahara, confirmed the casualties in a post on X, written while he was present at the crash site. "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 minister wrote. Footage shared by people at the scene showed the bus extensively damaged, with community members working to assist the injured children.
Road Safety Concerns in Uganda
Uganda records thousands of road fatalities annually, with traffic authorities consistently citing speeding, poorly maintained vehicles, and hazardous road conditions as the primary contributing factors. According to BBC, the Chekwatit Hill crash comes as concern over the safety of school transport has intensified following a series of serious bus accidents involving students reported across the country in recent weeks. The crash has renewed calls for stricter enforcement of vehicle safety standards and better road infrastructure to prevent such tragedies.
