Uganda halts school trips as bus crash kills 20 kids

Lead

A school bus crash in eastern Uganda has left at least 20 pupils and one adult dead, prompting the government to suspend all school trips until further notice. The accident occurred late Thursday in Chekwatit village, Kapchorwa district, as the bus was returning from an educational tour to Sipi Falls, according to police statements reported by Deutsche Welle.

Coverage comparison

Initial reports differed on the casualty count. AllAfrica, citing eyewitness accounts and social media reports, said at least 23 pupils were feared dead, while Deutsche Welle, quoting police statements, reported that 20 pupils and one adult male had been confirmed dead. Both outlets noted that the final toll had not yet been officially confirmed at the time of their reporting.

Deutsche Welle identified the bus as a Suzuki belonging to King David Junior School in Kampala, while AllAfrica described it as a bus branded Liberty Tour and Travel with registration number UA 108BQ. The discrepancy in the bus's make or branding was not reconciled in the available reports.

The crash took place in Chekwatit village, in the Kapchorwa district of eastern Uganda, according to both outlets. AllAfrica provided the additional detail that the accident occurred at approximately 8pm at Chekwatit village, Kimawa Parish, Kawowo Sub-county.

Key claims

• The bus was carrying pupils on an educational tour to Sipi Falls, according to preliminary investigations reported by Deutsche Welle. AllAfrica noted that some reports indicated the pupils were returning from a tour of Sipi Falls, though this detail had not been officially confirmed at the time.
• The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, which veered off the road, struck a large stone along the roadside, and overturned, as reported by Deutsche Welle. The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation.
• Several survivors, whose identities were yet to be established, were rushed to local hospitals for treatment, according to police statements reported by Deutsche Welle. AllAfrica reported that injured pupils were receiving treatment at Kapchorwa General Hospital.
• Eyewitness accounts shared on social media, cited by AllAfrica, pointed to 23 fatalities, but this figure was not confirmed by police at the time of publication.
• The crash adds to a series of recent school transport accidents in Uganda. AllAfrica noted a prior collision involving an Amuria High School bus that was ferrying students on a geography study tour, which killed the driver. It also mentioned a May incident involving a Gulu Secondary School bus.

Government response

In response to the accident, Uganda's Ministry of Works and Transport announced that Education Minister Chrysostom Muyingo had "put on hold all school trips and excursions, effective immediately and until further notice," as reported by Deutsche Welle.

Police spokesperson Michael Kananura confirmed the crash in a statement on social media, noting that emergency teams were working to establish the toll of dead and injured, and that further details would be shared as they became available, as reported by both AllAfrica and Deutsche Welle.

Investigations into the cause of the crash and the final casualty count are ongoing.