Uganda: Unicef Urges Uganda to Strengthen Child Road Safety

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a report from The Independent in Kampala dated July 23, 2026, reported that UNICEF has urged Uganda to take stronger measures to protect children on the roads after several deadly crashes involving schoolchildren. UNICEF Representative to Uganda Dr. Robin Nandy said the agency was saddened by recent deaths and called for action on speeding, safer pedestrian facilities and emergency care.

The appeal followed the King David Junior School bus crash in Kapchorwa District, where 24 people died, including 21 pupils and the school’s founder and director, Tadeo Ssekade, according to the report. The children were returning from an educational visit to Sipi Falls when the bus reportedly lost control after suspected brake failure. The article also cited a bus-train collision in Mukono that killed a student and a teacher, and another crash near Busota that injured dozens of learners.

In response, Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports suspended school educational trips and tours nationwide. Acting Education Minister Dr. John Chrysostom Muyingo directed schools already travelling to seek help from the nearest police station before returning. The government has also announced a review of school tour guidelines issued in May 2025, with an inter-ministerial committee expected to recommend stricter rules on vehicle checks, driver qualifications, supervision and trip management.

UNICEF welcomed the government response but said safety efforts should extend beyond school trips. The agency framed road safety as a child-rights concern tied to survival, education and a safe environment. The report cited UNICEF global data that road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and adolescents aged 5 to 19, and Ugandan Traffic Police figures indicating at least two schoolchildren die on the country’s roads each day.