Five killed as Bus Crashes into Truck on Gulu-Kampala Highway

Five people are dead and several others nursing injuries after a Mega Bus rammed into a stationary truck along the Gulu-Kampala highway in the early hours of Tuesday morning, in yet another tragedy on one of Uganda’s most dangerous roads.

The bus, registration number UBQ 350T, had departed Gulu City at midnight loaded with 53 passengers and was heading to Kampala when it ploughed into a stationary Sino truck, registration number UBF 576B, at California Village in Bweyale Town Council, Kiryandongo District. The impact occurred at around 2:00 AM.

Among those who perished were the bus conductor and a toddler. Eleven survivors with serious injuries were rushed to Kiryandongo General Hospital, where medical staff attended to them. Those hospitalised include Salima Akili, Michael Omony, Lillian Akello, Teddy Agwang, Florence Ajok, Janet Awidi, Vivian Mercy Aloyo, Willbroad Odong, Namanja Florence, Kennedy Mungudit and James Kilama.

A Mega Bus staff member, who preferred not to be named, said the company is still working to establish the full picture of what happened. “Five people died on the spot, but we cannot tell whether others could have died in the hospital. We are working with the police to develop a complete report,” he said.

Making matters worse, the bus driver identified as Kilama fled the scene after the crash and had not been apprehended by the time of publishing this report.

Julius Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police spokesman, confirmed the accident and pointed to reckless driving as the likely cause. “We are investigating the fatal accident in Bweyale Town Council. A Mega Bus driven by an unidentified driver collided with a Sino truck and a Nile Star bus from Arua, killing five and injuring 11,” he said, adding that investigations are ongoing.

The Gulu-Kampala highway has for years been a corridor of frequent and deadly crashes, with Kiryandongo District recording some of the worst incidents. Last October, a separate crash on the same highway killed 46 people after two buses collided head-on while attempting to overtake a truck, one of the deadliest road accidents in Uganda’s recent history.

Police have since urged all motorists to exercise caution, particularly at night, warning against speeding and reckless overtaking, which they say remain the leading causes of fatal crashes on the country’s highways.