Death toll in Uganda school bus crash rises to 24

The death toll from a school bus crash in Uganda has risen to 24 after three more students died while receiving treatment, police confirmed Saturday.

A bus belonging to King David Junior School was returning to the capital Kampala, after a trip to Sipi Falls of the Kapchorwa district in eastern Uganda, when the accident occurred on Thursday, killing a total of 22 students, along with two adults, and injuring several others.

Traffic Police spokesperson Michael Kananura said 23 victims remain under treatment at Kapchorwa Hospital.

“All surviving pupils who did not require admission have since been transported safely back to Kampala aboard a Gateway Bus,” he said in a statement through US social media company X.

Preliminary investigations suggested that the driver lost control, and the bus veered off the road and turned ‌over after hitting a large stone, police added.

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry on Friday suspended all school trips and educational excursions with immediate effect following a series of fatal road accidents involving learners.

John Muyingo, the acting minister of education and sports, announced the suspension, adding that the decision was taken as a precautionary measure to protect the lives and safety of children, while the government reviews existing guidelines governing school trips.

The government also directed all schools that were already on educational trips to immediately report to the nearest police station for guidance and accountability before proceeding with their journeys.

Authorities have since intensified efforts to enforce road safety rules for school transport.