Death toll from Uganda school bus crash rises to 24

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing AFP and police, reported that the death toll from a school bus crash in eastern Uganda has risen to 24 after three more pupils died from their injuries. The dead include 23 children and one adult. The crash involved a King David Junior School bus carrying pupils and teachers back to Kampala after a trip to Sipi Falls. It happened on Thursday night at Chekwatit village in Kapchorwa district, according to the report published on July 18, 2026.

Police investigators said the driver lost control, causing the bus to overturn and strike a large stone. Al Jazeera reported that six of those who died had not yet been identified, while the adult victim is believed to have been the school’s founder and head. Dozens of injured children were taken to hospitals, and 23 remained under care at Kapchorwa General Hospital. Police said three other vehicles from the same school trip returned safely.

Following the crash, Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports ordered a nationwide suspension of school trips while authorities investigate recent crashes involving schoolchildren. Police also said they would provide escorts to help ensure learners return safely to their schools.

The incident has renewed attention on road safety in Uganda. Al Jazeera noted that the country has one of the world’s poorest road safety records, with crashes often linked to unsafe vehicles and roads as well as speeding. The report also cited two recent deadly incidents: a bus-truck collision in northern Uganda earlier in July that killed 14 people, and an October crash involving two buses that left at least 46 dead.