President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has expressed deep sorrow over the fatal road crash that occurred early Wednesday morning along the Kampala – Gulu Highway, as police revised the number of deaths from the initially reported 63 to 46.
The tragic accident happened at around 12:15 a.m. at Kitaleba Village, near Asili Farm in Kiryandongo District, involving four vehicles: two buses, a lorry, and a Toyota Surf.
According to police spokesperson SP Michael Kananura, the updated figure followed a review by medical teams at Kiryandongo Hospital and nearby facilities, which revealed that several victims initially presumed dead were found unconscious and later revived.
“We confirm that the total number of fatalities resulting from the tragic fatal crash along the Kampala – Gulu Highway at Kitaleeba Village stands at 46, according to the latest update from the hospital,” the Uganda Police Force said in a follow-up statement on Wednesday afternoon.
Museveni Offers Support to Victims
In a condolence message posted on his official X (Twitter) account, President Museveni said he had “learnt with sadness about the tragic accident” and extended sympathy to the bereaved families.
He further directed the State House Comptroller to provide Shs 5 million to each bereaved family and Shs 1 million to each of the injured victims.
“I urge all road users to exercise utmost caution to prevent such tragedies. May the souls of the departed rest in eternal peace,” the President stated.
How the Crash Happened
Preliminary investigations indicate that one of the buses, registration UBF 614X (Isuzu, Nile Star Coaches), was travelling from Kampala towards Gulu when the driver attempted to overtake a Tata lorry (UBK 647C).
At the same time, another bus, UAM 045V (Isuzu, Planet Company), travelling from the opposite direction, also attempted to overtake a Toyota Surf (CGO 5132AB 07), resulting in a head-on collision.
The impact caused a chain reaction that led to the vehicles overturning several times.
Police and emergency teams responded promptly, rushing the injured to Kiryandongo Hospital and transferring the deceased to the hospital mortuary for postmortem and identification.
Police Caution Drivers
The Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety has since urged motorists to avoid dangerous and careless overtaking, one of the leading causes of major road crashes in Uganda.
“We strongly urge all motorists to exercise maximum caution on the roads, especially avoiding dangerous overtaking,” SP Kananura said.
Background
The Kampala-Gulu Highway is one of Uganda’s busiest transport corridors, linking the central and northern regions. It has seen a rising number of serious accidents due to reckless driving, fatigue, and speeding.
This crash is among the deadliest in recent years and has reignited calls for stricter enforcement of traffic regulations and improved driver discipline.
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