GULU, Uganda — Police have revised the death toll from a devastating bus collision on the Kampala–Gulu highway in Kiryandongo District, Uganda, lowering the number of fatalities from 63 to 46.
Uganda continues to grapple with a high rate of road accidents, frequently involving large vehicles on its highways.
The multi-vehicle crash, which occurred around 12:15 a.m. on October 22, 2025, near Asili Farm in Kiryandongo District, involved two passenger buses, a sport utility vehicle, and a lorry.
The collision at Kitaleba Village involved two Isuzu buses—one registered as UBF 614X (Nile Star Coaches) and the other as UAM 045V (Planet Company)—along with a Toyota Surf (CGO 5132AB 07) and a Tata lorry (UBK 647C).
According to a statement released by police on X, two buses “met head-on during the overtaking manoeuvres.”
The police statement detailed the severity of the crash: “One of the drivers swerved in an attempt to avoid a collision, but instead caused ‘a chain reaction’ which led to at least four other vehicles, including a truck and a land cruiser, ‘losing control and overturning several times’,” it read.
Initially, police reported 63 fatalities but subsequently adjusted the number of confirmed deaths down to 46. Officials explained the revision: “At the time of the crash, several victims were found unconscious, and some may have been mistakenly included in the initial fatality count.”
Authorities confirmed they are coordinating closely with health and emergency services, promising further updates as the situation evolves. Local media outlets published images and videos depicting the severely damaged, tangled wreckage of the two large buses illuminated by emergency rescue lights.
The injured were transported to Kiryandongo Hospital and other nearby medical facilities, although police did not release specific details on the total number of people injured or the nature of their wounds.
President Yoweri Museveni has extended his condolences to the bereaved families, terming the event a “tragic accident” and reiterating calls for increased caution among drivers.
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Despite consistent warnings from Ugandan police urging extra care, the country’s roads continue to be hazardous. The 2024 crime report documented a significant safety challenge, noting a six percent rise in deadly crashes from the previous year, which accounted for 4,434 fatal collisions and 5,144 deaths.
The latest crash is one of several recent high-casualty incidents: ten people died in April after a bus overturned in western Uganda, and in August, approximately 20 traders were killed when their truck rolled over.
Just last year, 26 people perished on the same Kampala–Gulu highway when a truck overturned, caught fire, and exploded.
Two years ago, bus crashes claimed 21 lives near the Kenya-Uganda border in January, only days after 16 people died when a passenger bus rammed into a stationary truck.
