Uganda halts school trips after bus crash kills 20 children
A school bus crash in eastern Uganda killed 20 pupils and one adult, prompting the government to suspend all school excursions indefinitely.
A tragic bus crash in Uganda late Thursday left 20 schoolchildren and one adult dead, with several others injured, police confirmed on Friday. The accident occurred in Chekwatit Village, Kapchorwa District, in the eastern part of the country.
The bus, owned by King David Junior School in the capital Kampala, was returning from an educational trip to the Sipi Falls waterfalls. According to police community liaison officer Michael Kananura, the driver lost control, causing the vehicle to veer off the road, hit a large stone, and overturn.
Injured victims include three adult males and several juveniles, who were rushed to local hospitals. The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation.
In response, Uganda's Ministry of Works and Transport announced on Friday that Education Minister Chrysostom Muyingo had put all school trips and excursions on hold effective immediately until further notice.
Road accidents are common in Uganda, often attributed to poorly maintained vehicles, reckless driving, and poor road conditions—issues prevalent across Africa. Earlier this month, 14 people died in a bus-truck collision in northern Uganda. Last October, 46 were killed in a crash on a major highway between Kampala and Gulu.
According to WHO and UN data, Africa has the worst road safety record per capita globally, with about 26 deaths per 100,000 people annually, nearly three times the rate in Europe.
