Deadly Bus Crash on Uganda’s Kampala-Gulu Highway Kills 63, Injures Dozens

Sixty-three people died and several others were injured after two buses collided head-on while overtaking other vehicles on Uganda’s busy Kampala-Gulu Highway. The crash caused a chain reaction involving four vehicles, and the injured were taken to hospitals in Kiryandongo. Police attributed the accident to reckless overtaking and warned motorists to drive cautiously.

Sixty-three people have tragically lost their lives after a series of vehicle collisions occurred on one of Uganda’s major highways, police confirmed on Wednesday. The deadly incident took place in the early hours of the morning, at approximately 00:15 local time (21:15 GMT), on the Kampala-Gulu Highway, which is known to be one of the busiest routes connecting the southern capital, Kampala, to the northern city of Gulu.

According to the Uganda Police Force, the crash happened when two buses traveling in opposite directions attempted to overtake two other vehicles—a lorry and a car—at the same time. One of the buses reportedly swerved in an effort to avoid an initial collision. However, this maneuver resulted in a head-on and side collision that triggered a chain reaction, causing several other vehicles in the vicinity to lose control and overturn.

The aftermath of the crash left dozens of passengers seriously injured, in addition to the large number of fatalities. Authorities reported that many of those injured were passengers of the buses, while others were in nearby vehicles that became part of the chain-reaction accident. In response to the incident, an official investigation has been launched to determine the precise cause and circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

The injured victims were quickly transported to various hospitals in Kiryandongo, a town located in western Uganda, where they are receiving medical attention. Regional Police spokesperson Julius Hakiiza provided additional details to the media, stating that the accident was caused by a bus attempting to overtake another vehicle at an unsafe moment. He explained that this bus collided head-on with another bus traveling from the opposite direction, leading to the catastrophic chain of events. In total, four vehicles were directly involved in the accident.

Officials highlighted the risks associated with careless driving and dangerous overtaking on Uganda’s roads. The Kampala-Gulu Highway, which experiences heavy traffic due to its role as a major transport artery between the south and north of the country, has been the site of multiple accidents in the past. In light of this latest tragedy, police have urged motorists to exercise extreme caution, particularly when overtaking other vehicles. They emphasized that unsafe overtaking continues to be one of the leading causes of road accidents in Uganda, and authorities are calling on drivers to prioritize safety to prevent further loss of life.