Twenty primary school students and one adult were killed on the evening of Thursday 16 July in eastern Uganda. They were returning from a school trip when they were involved in a bus accident. Three adults and several children were also injured. An investigation has been launched to establish the circumstances of the tragedy.
A serious road accident on Thursday 16 July claimed the lives of 20 primary school students and one adult in eastern Uganda, Uganda police said on Friday. The school bus, belonging to King David Primary School in Ndeya, near the capital Kampala, was reportedly returning from an excursion to Sipi Falls in the eastern district of Kapchorwa.
The driver lost control
“The driver apparently lost control of the car, which flew off the road, crashed into a large rock and overturned.”– the police explained on the social network X. The police added that three adults and several children were also injured.
The accident occurred around 8 pm. (local time). Police released an image of the heavily damaged bus lying on its side and announced an investigation to establish the exact circumstances of the tragedy.
Road accidents are common in this East African country. In October 2025, 46 people were killed in a collision between two buses in Uganda, according to police. According to a government report, there were 4,434 fatal road accidents in the country in 2024, resulting in 5,144 deaths.