By Our Reporter
At least 63 people have been confirmed dead and several others injured following a devastating road accident that occurred in the early hours of Tuesday morning along the Kampala–Gulu Highway.
The fatal collision happened around 12:15 a.m. at Kitaleba Village, near Asili Farm in Kiryandongo District. The crash involved four vehicles — two passenger buses, a Toyota Land Cruiser, and a Tata lorry.
According to police, the vehicles involved were an Isuzu bus (UBF 614X) belonging to Nile Star Coaches, another Isuzu bus (UAM 045V) operated by Planet Company, a Toyota Land Cruiser (CGO 5132AB 07), and a Tata lorry (UBK 647C).
Preliminary investigations suggest that the tragedy was caused by reckless overtaking. The Nile Star bus, which was traveling from Kampala to Arua, reportedly attempted to overtake the Tata lorry at a dangerous section of the highway, while at the same time, the Planet Company bus coming from Adjumani toward Kampala was overtaking the Land Cruiser.
The two buses met head-on during the simultaneous overtaking manoeuvres, leading to a violent impact that triggered a chain reaction. Both the Toyota Land Cruiser and the Tata lorry overturned several times, killing and injuring their occupants.
“All 63 fatalities were occupants of the involved vehicles,” confirmed SP Michael Kananura, spokesperson for the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety. “Several others sustained serious injuries and were rushed to Kiryandongo General Hospital and other nearby medical facilities.”
Bodies of the deceased have been taken to the Kiryandongo Hospital mortuary for post-mortem examinations and identification.
SP Kananura extended condolences to the bereaved families and urged motorists to exercise caution, particularly when overtaking and driving at night.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and wish a quick recovery to those injured,” said Kananura. “We call upon all road users to avoid reckless overtaking, which continues to be one of the leading causes of fatal road crashes in Uganda.”
The Kiryandongo stretch of the Kampala–Gulu Highway has long been identified as one of Uganda’s deadliest road corridors, with frequent reports of fatal crashes attributed to speeding, fatigue, and reckless driving.
Police have launched a full investigation into the incident as rescue teams continue to identify victims and assist survivors.
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