Uganda Renews Road Safety Concerns After Multi-Vehicle Crash

Kiryandongo, Uganda — After a multi-vehicle crash killed 46 people and injured several others in mid-western Uganda, fresh concerns have emerged over road safety in the East African country.
Police said the accident occurred around 12:15 a.m. local time Wednesday in Kiryandongo District on the Kampala-Gulu highway, involving four vehicles — two passenger buses, a lorry, and a smaller car.
Preliminary investigations indicated that a bus traveling from Kampala to Gulu attempted to overtake a lorry and collided head-on with another bus coming from the opposite direction, triggering a chain reaction that caused multiple vehicles to overturn.
Police initially reported 63 deaths but later revised the figure to 46 after confirming that several unconscious victims had been mistakenly counted among the dead.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni expressed condolences in a message posted on his X account, urging motorists to be more cautious.
“I have learnt with sadness about the tragic accident that occurred this morning along the Kampala-Gulu highway, claiming many lives. I extend my condolences to the bereaved families and wish the injured a quick recovery,” Museveni said.
He announced that each bereaved family would receive five million Ugandan shillings (about 1,440 U.S. dollars), while the injured would receive one million shillings in assistance.
The Ministry of Works and Transport said it had dispatched a team to support police investigations, and urged motorists to avoid dangerous overtaking on highways, promising a comprehensive report on the “devastating crash.”
The Uganda Red Cross Society said in a statement that it had deployed additional ambulances to transfer the injured to hospitals for specialized care, with several patients referred to Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala.
“While much of the attention has rightfully focused on the number of lives lost, it is equally important to spotlight the survivors who are critically injured and still fighting for their lives,” the agency said.
Police data show that road casualties in Uganda continue to rise. The 2024 Annual Crime Report recorded 25,808 casualties from road crashes last year, up from 24,728 in 2023. Careless overtaking and speeding accounted for nearly half of all crashes.
Despite periodic safety crackdowns, including the suspension of bus operators after repeated accidents, fatal crashes remain frequent on Uganda’s highways.
By Independent (Kampala).