A school bus belonging to King David Junior School in Kampala crashed late Thursday in Chekwatit village, Kapchorwa district, while returning from an educational tour to Sipi Falls in eastern Uganda. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of 23 students and one adult, who was the school's founder. Dozens of others, including three adults and several children, were injured and transported to local hospitals.
Preliminary police investigations indicate that the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing the bus to veer off the road and overturn after striking a large boulder. Images from the scene showed the bus lying on its side with the roof completely ripped off and the seats exposed.
In response to the tragedy and subsequent public demands for improved safety standards, Education Minister Chrysostom Muyingo has halted all school trips and excursions, effective immediately and until further notice.
Road accidents are common in Uganda and are frequently attributed to speeding, poor road conditions, a lack of street lighting, and poorly maintained vehicles. In October of last year, 46 people died in a bus crash on a main highway between Kampala and the northern city of Gulu.