KAPCHORWA – The death toll from the tragic school bus accident involving pupils of King David Junior School has risen to 24 after three more learners succumbed to injuries sustained in the crash.
According to the Uganda Police Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, the three pupils died while receiving treatment, increasing the number of fatalities from the initial 21 people who died on the spot.
The crash, which occurred on Thursday night at Kaserem along the Kapchorwa–Mbale Road, involved a school bus carrying pupils who were returning to Kampala after a school trip to Sipi Falls in Kapchorwa District.
Police said 23 survivors are still admitted at Kapchorwa Hospital receiving treatment for injuries sustained during the accident.
Authorities revealed that 18 of the deceased pupils have so far been identified by their families, while six bodies remain unidentified. Three unidentified bodies are being kept at Kapchorwa Hospital, while another three are at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital awaiting identification.
Learners who survived the crash but did not require medical admission have since been safely transported back to Kampala using a Gateway Bus.
Police also said the driver of the ill-fated bus, registration number UA 108BQ, has not yet been formally identified but is believed to be among the critically injured victims receiving treatment in Mbale.
Traffic Police spokesperson SP Michael Kananura said preliminary findings indicate that the driver lost control of the bus before it veered off the road, hit a large roadside rock, and overturned.
He said investigations are still ongoing to establish the exact circumstances that led to the crash.
Following the tragedy, the government suspended all school tours and trips nationwide as authorities begin reviewing school transport safety guidelines aimed at protecting learners during educational journeys.
The accident has sparked renewed concerns over the safety of school children travelling for trips, with calls for stricter enforcement of road safety measures for school vehicles.
