KAMPALA UGANDA: 20 JULY 2026— In a damning disclosure that highlights a deep-seated road safety crisis, Uganda’s Ministry of Works and Transport has revealed that three out of every four buses involved in recent major road crashes were operating in Dangerous Mechanical Condition (DMC).
Addressing Parliament, Winston Katushabe, the Commissioner for Transport Regulation, confirmed that these passenger service vehicles (PSVs) had previously failed mandatory mechanical inspections and were on the roads without valid licenses.
”These vehicles were rejected during official inspections due to poor mechanical status, yet operators continued to run them illegally,” officials told lawmakers.
The ministry’s revelations follow the catastrophic July 16 crash in Kapchorwa District, where a King David Junior School bus overturned while carrying pupils returning from an educational excursion to Sipi Falls.
The tragic incident claimed the lives of over 20 children and the school’s director, sending shockwaves across the country and prompting urgent scrutiny of public transport compliance.
Adding to the enforcement nightmare, transport officials noted that in multiple recent crashes, bus operators were unable to identify the individual drivers behind the wheel at the time of the accidents—exposing severe gaps in driver registration and accountability.
Nationwide Safety Crackdown Initiated
In direct response to the escalating tragedy, the Ugandan government has announced a suite of emergency measures:
Nationwide Suspension of School Trips: The Ministry of Education has temporarily banned all school trips, study tours, and group road travel until further notice.
Aggressive Inspection Crackdowns: The Ministry of Works and Transport is deploying automated inspection units across major corridors to impound all unlicensed or mechanically defective PSVs.
Strict Driver Vetting: Transport regulators are enforcing strict driver licensing checks and requiring verified route charts to ensure driver accountability.