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At least 21 people, including 20 pupils and a school director, have died after a bus carrying children on a study tour crashed in eastern Uganda.
The accident occurred on Thursday evening in Kapchorwa District when the bus, carrying pupils from King David Junior School in Ndejje, reportedly developed a mechanical fault before the driver lost control while descending Chekwatit Hill.
Police said the vehicle veered off the road, struck a large rock and overturned.
Dozens of other pupils and staff members sustained injuries and were rushed to hospital, according to BBC.
Local Government Minister, Balaam Ateenyi, Barugahara confirmed that the dead included the school’s founder and director, Tadeo Ssekade.
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The pupils were returning from an educational trip to the Sipi Falls tourist area when the accident happened.
In response to the tragedy, Uganda’s Ministry of Education has suspended all school educational trips pending investigations into the cause of the crash.
Education Minister, John Chrysostom Muyingo, said the suspension was necessary to safeguard learners while authorities review safety measures for school transport.
Uganda records thousands of road fatalities annually, with speeding, poor vehicle maintenance and hazardous roads among the leading causes.
The latest tragedy has renewed concerns over the safety of school transport following several fatal bus accidents reported in recent weeks.
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