Kamuli School Bus Collision Injures Multiple Students Hours After Trip Suspension

Tragedy struck again on the roads of Kamuli district Friday night as a school bus, en route from an educational tour, collided with a sugarcane truck. The accident, which took place around 9:30 PM near the Busota health centre, left multiple students with serious injuries.

The bus, identified as belonging to Bugaya Secondary School and carrying students from Nalango Secondary School, was reportedly returning from an educational excursion. According to police, the bus was carrying 31 students – 20 boys and 11 girls – when the collision occurred with a truck travelling from Kamuli towards Jinja City.

While no fatalities were reported, several students sustained significant injuries, including fractures. Some were treated at the local health centre, while others with more severe conditions were transferred to larger medical facilities. Police preliminary investigations suggest the truck driver’s attempt at a high-speed overtake was the cause of the crash.

This incident follows closely on the heels of a devastating accident in Kapchorwa district that claimed the lives of over 20 pupils from King David Junior School. In response to that tragedy, the Ministry of Education had announced the immediate suspension of all school trips and educational excursions on Friday.

The Kamuli crash highlights a disturbing pattern of accidents involving school transport. Earlier in the week, a bus carrying students from St Paul Secondary School Katakwi was involved in a collision with a stationary trailer, resulting in the driver’s death and injuries to 15 students. Another incident saw a bus from Mwebaze High School-Kakiri struck by a train, causing further injuries and a fatality. These recurring events have reignited urgent calls for enhanced safety measures and stricter enforcement of regulations for school transportation across the country.

Source: The Observer (Uganda)