Uganda is mourning yet another devastating road tragedy after 46 people were confirmed dead and several others injured in a grisly head-on collision involving two passenger buses on the Kampala–Gulu highway early Wednesday morning.

Police said the fatal crash occurred just after midnight at Kiryandongo District, about 220 kilometers north of Kampala, in what has become one of the most deadly road accidents in recent years.

“Two long-distance buses collided head-on during an overtaking manoeuvre,” Uganda Police Force said in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter). “The impact was catastrophic, leading to a chain reaction involving at least four other vehicles.”

The vehicles included a truck and a Toyota Land Cruiser, both of which overturned several times as other motorists tried to avoid the initial collision.

Tangled Metal and Chaos in the Dark

Eyewitnesses described a night of horror as rescuers battled to pull survivors from the wreckage in near-total darkness. Photos and videos shared on social media showed the twisted remains of two buses, their metal frames torn open and luggage scattered across the road.

Emergency crews from Kiryandongo Hospital and nearby facilities rushed to the scene, ferrying the injured to hospitals in ambulances and private vehicles. Many victims were trapped in the crushed bus cabins for hours before help arrived.

“It was chaos. People were screaming for help, and we could hear children crying inside the buses,” said John Okello, a trader who was traveling behind one of the vehicles. “We tried to pull some people out through broken windows before the police and Red Cross arrived.”

Revised Death Toll and Ongoing Rescue

Initially, police put the death toll at 63, but later revised the number down to 46 after discovering that several victims initially thought to be dead had survived.

“At the time of the crash, some victims were found unconscious and may have been mistakenly counted among the dead,” police clarified in a follow-up statement.

Authorities said dozens of others remained hospitalized at Kiryandongo General Hospital, Bweyale Health Centre, and St. Luke’s Hospital, with some in critical condition. The exact number of injured passengers is yet to be confirmed.

A Country Reeling from Repeated Tragedies

This latest disaster underscores Uganda’s worsening road safety crisis, with deadly collisions reported almost weekly on major highways.

According to the 2024 Uganda Police Crime Report, road fatalities rose by 6% from the previous year, with 4,434 fatal crashes and 5,144 deaths recorded nationwide. Analysts have blamed reckless driving, fatigue, speeding, poor visibility, and neglected road infrastructure for the mounting death toll.

The Kampala–Gulu Highway, a key transport corridor connecting the capital to the north, has repeatedly featured among the country’s most dangerous roads.

Just last year, 26 people were killed when a fuel truck overturned and exploded on the same stretch of road. Earlier this April, 10 passengers died when another bus overturned in western Uganda, and in August, 20 traders perished after their truck rolled off the road while transporting produce.

President Museveni’s Condolence and Warning

In a statement issued from State House Entebbe, President Yoweri Museveni expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and extended condolences to the bereaved families.

“I send my sympathies to the families who have lost their loved ones in this tragic accident. May the Almighty comfort them during this difficult time,” Museveni said.

He urged road users, especially long-distance drivers, to “exercise maximum discipline and patience”, warning that careless overtaking and fatigue were leading causes of such mass-casualty accidents.

The president also instructed the Ministry of Works and Transport to work closely with police to investigate the cause of the crash and recommend immediate safety interventions.

Calls for Reform and Accountability

Ugandan road safety advocates are once again calling for stricter enforcement of traffic laws, including mandatory rest hours for commercial drivers and periodic vehicle inspections.

“We are tired of condolence messages without action,” said Sarah Nabirye, spokesperson for the Uganda Road Safety Coalition. “Every month, we lose dozens of people in preventable accidents. The government must now prioritize safe transport over political talk.”

Several lawmakers from northern Uganda have demanded that the government expedite repairs and lighting installations along dark stretches of the Kampala–Gulu highway, particularly around Kafu, Karuma, and Kiryandongo, where accidents frequently occur.

Night of Tears and Sorrow

As dawn broke over Kiryandongo, grieving families gathered at the local mortuary to identify the bodies of their loved ones. Many of the victims were traders, students, and travelers returning home from Kampala.

“My wife and two children were on that bus,” said Robert Opio, his voice breaking. “We spoke before they left Kampala last night. Now they are all gone.”

Clergy and Red Cross volunteers have since set up counseling stations to support survivors and relatives.

By Wednesday afternoon, the highway had been reopened to traffic after several hours of closure, though mangled bus frames still lay by the roadside a grim reminder of a journey that never ended.