School administration and the driver have been blamed for recklessness and negligence that led to the death of a student and injuri of over two dozen others.
The accident, which occurred on Monday morning, March 23, 2026, involved over 55 students from Mukura Memorial Secondary School who were being transported to participate in a Secondary School football match in Ngora town.
Reports indicate that the students were dangerously overcrowded in a vehicle, with some sitting on iron bars that ultimately broke, causing several students to fall onto the road.
Sam Obwanga, a parent whose child was involved in the accident, expressed his deep disappointment with the school administration for their choice of transportation.
“If the school had considered hiring a better vehicle, this incident could have been avoided as the condition of the vehicle was obviously poor, and yet they still chose to overload it with students,” he lamented.
Obwanga urged parents to actively monitor co-curricular activities. “Often, schools do not prioritize the safety of our children during these activities. Teachers seem indifferent to ensuring the students’ safety, allowing them to roam unsupervised in towns or bushes,” he said.
“This needs to change, and the government must enforce security measures where such events are held.”
Stephen Mukombe, the spokesperson for the South Kyoga Regional Police, confirmed that one student lost her life, after being thrown from the vehicle during the incident, while many others sustained injuries of varying severity.
He condemned the actions of the driver, who is being blamed for reckless conduct by allowing the vehicle to be overloaded and permitting students to travel in unsafe conditions, in violation of road safety regulations. Said Mukombe:
“This is an unfortunate incident that could have been avoided. The driver acted irresponsibly by overloading the vehicle.”
Police have launched a manhunt for the suspect and are urging transporters to adhere strictly to road safety guidelines to prevent such tragedies in the future.
“Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the driver should report to the nearest police station so that he can be apprehended,” Mukombe added.
The wreckage of the Fuso truck bearing registration number UBD 661K has been secured at Mukura police station as part of the investigation.
This unfortunate incident has once again highlighted the critical need for improved safety measures in school transportation.
Authorities and community leaders are now calling for the enforcement of stricter regulations to ensure the safety of school children during transportation to extracurricular activities. URN