At Least 20 Schoolchildren Killed After Bus Crash in Eastern Uganda
- A bus carrying pupils from King David Junior School in Ndejje crashed on Chekwatit Hill in the Kapchorwa area on Thursday evening, killing at least 20 children and one adult
- The school's founder and director, Tadeo Ssekade, was among those who died, with dozens of other pupils and staff members injured in the accident
- Local officials said preliminary investigations pointed to a mechanical fault that caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle on the hill
At least 20 schoolchildren and one adult have died after a bus transporting pupils on a study trip overturned on Chekwatit Hill in the Kapchorwa district of eastern Uganda on Thursday evening, according to local officials and police.
The bus, belonging to King David Junior School in Ndejje, went off the road at around 20:00 local time (17:00 GMT) in Kawowo area.
Source: Getty Images
Police said the vehicle veered off the carriageway, struck a large roadside stone, and overturned. Dozens of pupils and school staff members sustained injuries in the crash.
Early investigations suggest the bus developed a mechanical fault before the driver lost control on the hill, a stretch of road that has previously been the scene of multiple serious accidents.
School founder among the dead
The adult fatality was identified as Tadeo Ssekade, the founder and director of King David Junior School. Minister of Local Government, Balaam Ateenyi Barugahara, confirmed the casualties in a post on X, written while he was present at the crash site.
"Sadly, 20 children and 1 adult, who happens to be the founder and director, Mr Tadeo Ssekade, have gone to be with the Lord," the minister wrote.
Footage shared by people at the scene showed the bus extensively damaged, with community members working to assist the injured children. Local media reported the pupils had been returning from a visit to Sipi Falls, a popular tourist attraction in the region.
Road safety concerns in Uganda
Uganda records thousands of road fatalities annually, with traffic authorities consistently citing speeding, poorly maintained vehicles, and hazardous road conditions as the primary contributing factors.
According to BBC, the Chekwatit Hill crash comes as concern over the safety of school transport has intensified following a series of serious bus accidents involving students reported across the country in recent weeks.
Source: Getty Images
Family loses 4 children to kidnappers
Legit.ng earlier reported that families in the Hullere area of Jambutu community, Yola North Local Government Area of Adamawa state, have been thrown into mourning after four children who were kidnapped from a farm were found dead days later.
The children, Adamu Samaila, 13; Bilal Abdurahaman, 8; Ya’u Sani Baba, 10; and Sultan Samaila, 11, were abducted on June 12, while they had gone to fetch firewood for their mothers, a routine activity they often carried out.
The victims were members of the same extended family, with their parents reportedly related as cousins. Speaking with Legit.ng correspondent, the father of one of the children, Samaila Musa, said the children left for the farm but failed to return home as expected.
Source: Legit.ng
