Death toll from Uganda school bus crash rises to 24

A fatal bus accident in eastern Uganda has resulted in significant loss of life, with the death toll reaching 24 people following the deaths of three additional schoolchildren from injuries sustained in the initial crash. The incident occurred Thursday night when a bus carrying pupils and teachers from King David Junior School in Kampala was returning from a trip to Sipi Falls. Police investigators determined that the driver lost control of the vehicle at Chekwatit village in Kapchorwa district, causing the bus to overturn and strike a large stone.

Among the deceased are 23 children and one adult believed to be the school's founder and head. Six of the victims remain unidentified. Dozens of children were transported to medical facilities, with 23 injured individuals still receiving treatment at Kapchorwa General Hospital. Three other vehicles that were part of the same school trip returned safely to Kampala.

In response to the tragedy, Uganda's Ministry of Education and Sports issued a nationwide directive halting all school trips pending a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of recent crashes involving schoolchildren. Police announced plans to provide escorts for the safe return of students to their respective schools. The incident underscores Uganda's persistent road safety challenges, with crashes frequently attributed to poorly maintained vehicles and infrastructure as well as excessive speeding. The country has experienced multiple fatal transportation accidents in recent weeks, including a collision between a bus and truck that killed 14 people earlier in the month and a bus collision in October that claimed at least 46 lives.