KAMPALA, Uganda: 18 July 2026— The death toll from a devastating bus crash involving pupils of King David Junior School has risen to 24 after three more children succumbed to their injuries in the hospital, officials confirmed today.
The tragedy occurred at Kaserem along the notoriously winding Kapchorwa–Mbale Road as the school group was traveling.
Current Casualty Details
Emergency medical teams and hospital authorities have been working around the clock to treat survivors and identify the victims. The latest figures from health and school officials outline the scale of the tragedy:
Fatalities: 24 children are now confirmed dead.
Identifications: 18 bodies have been positively identified by families. Six bodies—three currently at Kapchorwa Hospital and three at Mbale Hospital—remain unidentified.
Injured: 23 victims remain admitted at Kapchorwa Hospital, where they are receiving ongoing medical treatment for various injuries.
Driver and Survivors Update
The driver of the ill-fated bus has not yet been formally identified by authorities. Investigators believe he sustained critical injuries during the crash and is currently among those receiving emergency care at Mbale Hospital.
In a relief to anxious families in the capital, officials confirmed that all surviving pupils who did not require hospitalization have been safely evacuated from the region. They have already returned to Kampala aboard a provided Gateway Bus.
Local authorities have launched an investigation into the exact cause of the crash along the highway.
However, another crash along Jinja-Kamuli Highway involving students was reported last evening elevating the list of similar incidents to five (5) in just two weeks.
The accident occurred at Busota near Health Centre III, involving a Buzaya Secondary School students’ coaster and a sugarcane truck resulting in multiple casualties.
It was reported that many students sustained fractures and other severe injuries, with several reported to be in critical condition.
The Kamuli District Emergency Medical Services (EMS) rescue team responded promptly and evacuated the injured to health facilities with emergency and medical wards are receiving a high number of casualties, and clinical teams working tirelessly to resuscitate and stabilize the injured.
Our thoughts are with the injured students and their families. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available
