Kapchorwa tragedy: How 20 pupils died in a bus crash

A school trip to Sipi Falls has ended in tragedy after a road crash in Kapchorwa claims the lives of 20 pupils from King David Junior School Ndejje. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_09 0:00

So how many children uh have you counted that have uh you know that's not a good thing?

SPEAKER_00 0:06

This is the new vision daily podcast around Uganda. I'm Razia Uffman. Okay coming up how a school trip to Sippy Falls has ended in tragedy, claiming the lives of twenty-one pupils in Kapchorwa.

SPEAKER_10 0:40

Joshua Kam.

SPEAKER_00 0:42

Local government minister Balam Barugahara reads the names of pupils and the school director who died instantly at the scene. Standing at Capchorwa Main Hospital, where survivors were receiving treatment and bodies were being identified, he reads from a rough piece of paper, handwritten, posing, as officials and residents help him verify some of the names. Others are still marked as unknown. Just hours before the crash, videos show the pupils enjoying their visit, excited, experiencing CP Falls. Bright smiles, green, yellow, red, and pink t-shirts, blue shorts, and red socks pulled up. Disciplined children enjoying what was meant to be a memorable school tour. Around 80 pupils had traveled to Capchorwa.

SPEAKER_02 1:43

And children were enjoying, then after I started telling the driver to stop, he was refusing. Then the next thing, following, I'm outside the bus. I'm looking for my sister. I was looking for my sister. And then they start there's this car. It came and it started taking some of us. There were many children left using.

SPEAKER_00 2:15

The pupils from King David Junior School in Deje had started their journey at around 4 a.m. on Thursday. Hajati Hamida, whose children missed the trip, says neighbors watched as two buses and two vans departed, with parents bidding farewell to their children before the long journey. As the pupils traveled back from visiting CP Falls, tragedy struck. At around 8 p.m. on Thursday, their bus crashed at Chekwati in Kaosub County Capchorwa district.

SPEAKER_05 2:48

This accident happened mysteriously. It was Tufato.

SPEAKER_00 2:52

Sabil Abdul Haq is a resident of Greater Kasarem where the accident happened. He reached the crash scene moments after the tragedy. As he narrates, the bus had reportedly developed mechanical problems earlier, and the driver was advised to find an alternative vehicle.

SPEAKER_05 3:11

The people were again told to foot from corner to falls, that's in Captogolo. Then the bus remained being maintained in the corner trading center, that is the Cap Sub County. The people went to Capitogolo. Then from there, they used shortcut to Sippi Sub County. When the bus got ready, the bus climbed uphill freely without the pupils. Reaching in Sipi, they had finished the exploration. The pupils were again requested to get back into the bus. Still, the natives insisted. They said that no, driver, this bus is not good. The mechanics were even still working on the bus in Sipi, but the driver insisted. We told him that please we can get for you other means to put down these kids and take them to wherever they are reaching.

SPEAKER_00 3:59

Police are investigating those claims. The pupils boarded the same bus after visiting Sipi Falls, traveled through Captogolo before the crash occurred.

SPEAKER_06 4:11

In a minute of 15, we heard of sad news that we're going to be able to do.

SPEAKER_00 4:18

This road is ruthless. One of the most dangerous sections is the Towei Ridge, a stretch some describe as the beautiful monster. From its high altitudes, motorists can admire God's art of creation, overlooking the lowlands of Karamoja, Teso, Bugisu, and beyond. But it is also one of Uganda's deadliest roads. Dozens of people have lost their lives driving on these mountain roads. For a first-time driver traveling through Kapchorwa is as exhilarating as it is dangerous.

SPEAKER_04 4:56

It has been a darker evening and uh a dark Thursday.

SPEAKER_00 5:00

As police begins investigations, Kapchorwa resident district commissioner Bayole Stanley points to the suspected mechanical condition of the bus.

SPEAKER_04 5:10

Bus got mechanical problems, it failed to break, it rammed into a rock on side rock, instantly killing 19 occupants and 18. One is an adult, but uh in total the watch pants were close to eight occupants in that bus. But the community of Kaserem and the Sabines here, the police, the one they have done a lot to rescue these people who are still alive, and also removing the bodies from the road.

SPEAKER_00 6:00

Among those who died was Tadeo Sekade, the founder and director of King David Junior School Ndeje. He died shortly after the crash. His daughter Abby was also travelling on the bus, although her condition had not yet been confirmed. Most of the victims were rushed to Capchoro Main Hospital, where at least 50 survivors are receiving treatment. Dr. Siraj Massei, the Capchora District Health Officer, arrived shortly afterwards.

SPEAKER_03 6:52

It was fatal. For the casualties, we have been able to use uh the our Type B ambulance that we received recently, and then the Red Cross ambulance, and the third ambulance from Buramburi. These were the ambulances that have helped us uh in evacuating uh the casualties from the scene, uh to Caserim Health Center, to Capturo Hospital, and to Miami Health Center. For now, the same ambulances after triage and managing the cases, stabilizing them in our casualties with the entire team. We have realized that uh seven of them were unable to manage, they may need high-level interventions by uh uh at the referral facility.

SPEAKER_00 7:48

Some of the critically injured pupils were immediately referred to regional referral hospital.

SPEAKER_04 7:55

The Indian Center for Kasemi is saying they are responding to the treatment, three are in Miangre Center for in the Bilamburi district, two are responding, one is for referral, and here in Captura, my hospital, referral spital, we have 52. Out of the 52, more two are not in good condition, one resort refer them, but we have already referred four or in bad shape, they have gone to Umbare.

SPEAKER_00 8:23

According to the Uganda Police Crime Report 2025, the country recorded 5,383 road traffic deaths, translating to about 15 deaths every day. The report also shows that the highest number of crashes occur between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Lawrence Niwabuine, the Assistant Inspector General of Police and Director of Traffic Police says And there are many traffic offenses that if I can enumerate, we can take a whole day here.

SPEAKER_07 8:59

But there are many. The most common one is that one of drink drink driving, which is common in many audiences.

SPEAKER_00 9:14

Back at King David Junior School in Deje, Central Uganda, ambulances have been dispatched to Kapchorra to bring back the bodies. Parents, friends, guardians, and well-wishers all carrying heavy hearts have crowded the school premises. The guidelines also prohibit nursery and kindergarten learners from undertaking school tours, while lower primary pupils may only travel under exceptional circumstances.

SPEAKER_04 10:40

We blame the driver of the bus because this bus had three points of mechanical faults where it was really having problems. In it away, it people saw it, it was factory repairing. At vulnerable place, somewhere it was also the way they were repairing it. But people, I think they would even tell us that it was again the back side of it. If they were telling you, they told us maybe we would have intervened as security because we know the train of this place. It is very bad, it needs a vehicle which is in a good mechanical condition. Then physically also reached there, I reached at the I saw the bus, it had not behind the tires.

SPEAKER_00 11:16

You've been listening to the New Vision Daily podcast around Uganda. I'm Razia Uffman. As the country mourns the deaths of these children, our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends, and the entire King David Junior School community.

SPEAKER_10 11:33

It's okay.

SPEAKER_09 11:34

So, how many children uh have you counted at our