Bus Crash in Eastern Uganda Kills 20 Schoolchildren and One Adult

At least 20 schoolchildren and one adult were killed when a bus carrying pupils from King David Junior School in Ndejje overturned in eastern Uganda on Thursday evening. The crash occurred at about 20:00 local time at Chekwatit village in the Kawowo area of Kapchorwa.

The bus suffered a mechanical fault, after which the driver lost control on Chekwatit Hill, veered off the road, struck a large stone and overturned, police said.

The adult killed was Tadeo Ssekade, founder and director of the school. The pupils were returning from a study tour that included a visit to Sipi Falls.

Dozens of others, including school staff, were injured. Videos shared by eyewitnesses showed the bus badly damaged, and local residents rushed to help the injured children. Uganda records thousands of road deaths every year, with speeding, poorly maintained vehicles and dangerous roads among the leading causes, according to traffic authorities.