At least 20 children and a teacher were killed, and around 60 others injured, when a school bus crashed into a rock on a notoriously treacherous road in Kapchorwa District, Uganda, on Thursday evening.
Fatal Crash Details
The accident occurred at approximately 8pm local time on July 16, 2026, when the bus, an Isuzu registration number UA 108BQ belonging to King David Junior School in Ndejje, Makindye Division, Kampala, struck a large rock on Chekwatit Village road. The driver reportedly lost control due to a mechanical failure after the impact, causing the vehicle to veer off the road and overturn.
Uganda Police Force confirmed the crash, stating that the bus was returning from a school excursion to Sipi Falls. Emergency services rushed to the scene and found dozens of passengers thrown from the bus, with many trapped inside the wreckage. Survivors were taken to three different local hospitals for treatment.
Official Confirmation
A Ugandan police chief said: "We wish to confirm that, following the fatal road traffic crash that occurred yesterday evening at Chekwatit Village, a total of 21 people, comprising 20 pupils and one adult, have so far been confirmed dead. The crash involved an Isuzu bus, registration number UA 108BQ, belonging to King David Junior School, Ndejje, Makindye Division, Kampala. The Uganda Police Force extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved families, the management of King David Junior School, and all those affected by this tragic incident. We also wish the injured a quick and full recovery."
Deadliest School Crash in Recent Years
This crash is among the deadliest involving school children in Uganda in recent years. Just a week earlier, a student and teacher were killed when a bus transporting pupils collided with a train in Mukono District. The latest incident has sparked renewed calls for improved road safety measures on Uganda's dangerous roads.
