Two pupils die, 11 injured in Mityana school bus crash

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Tragedy struck early morning on Saturday, August 2, when a school bus carrying pupils from a tour in Kasese overturned along the Mubende–Kampala road in Mityana district, killing two children and injuring eleven others.

The accident occurred at around 5.30am at Kagavu in Zigoti and involved a bus, registration number UAP 829U, belonging to HMK Transporters Ltd. The vehicle was transporting pupils, four tour guides and the headteacher of Day Star Primary School in Makindye, Kampala.

According to Michael Kananura, spokesperson for Traffic and Road Safety at the Uganda Police Force, preliminary investigations indicate that the bus driver fell asleep at the wheel, causing the vehicle to overturn.

“Two pupils died on the spot, while eleven others — including four tour guides and the Headteacher — sustained injuries,” Kananura said in a statement issued shortly after the incident.

Kananura described the crash as “a stern reminder” to school administrators about the critical importance of pupil safety during educational trips.

“Children cannot make decisions for themselves,” he noted.

“It is the responsibility of schools to ensure all necessary precautions are taken when planning such journeys.”

The police strongly advised schools to adopt the following safety measures to prevent similar tragedies:

Avoid return journeys after long-distance school tours. An overnight rest should be scheduled to prevent fatigue-related accidents.

Thoroughly inspect and verify the mechanical condition of all hired vehicles before departure.

Ensure drivers are professionally qualified, licensed and sober, with no traces of alcohol in their system before embarking on trips.

Kananura also urged schools to work closely with the Uganda Police Force:

“We encourage institutions to utilise the Inspectorate of Vehicles (IOV) to assess the roadworthiness of all transport options and to vet drivers properly,” he said.

“Where necessary, conduct alcohol tests before allowing anyone to drive schoolchildren. The lives of our children are too precious to be left to chance.”

Rising incidents

The 2024 annual crime report, released in March, revealed that a total of 5,144 people died in road crashes, marking a 7% increase from the 4,806 deaths recorded in 2023. Additionally, 17,013 individuals suffered serious injuries due to road accidents in 2024, representing a 1.7% increase.

The report also noted a 6.4% rise in the total number of reported road crashes, increasing from 23,608 in 2023 to 25,107 in 2024. The number of fatal crashes rose by 6.1%, from 4,179 in 2023 to 4,434 in 2024.

Moreover, serious crashes increased by 5.2%, from 12,487 in 2023 to 13,134 in 2024. Minor crashes saw an 8.6% rise, moving from 6,942 in 2023 to 7,539 in 2024.

Fatal crashes involve at least one death, serious crashes involve injuries without fatalities, and minor crashes result in vehicle damage with no injuries or deaths.

According to the report, the highest number of crashes — 2,445 — occurred in December, while the lowest was recorded in April, with 1,863 crashes.

The report also indicated that more crashes were reported on Sundays than on any other day of the week in 2024, followed by Saturdays and Mondays.