Museveni mourns Kiryandongo road crash, offers financial support to victims

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has expressed profound sorrow following the devastating road crash that occurred early Wednesday morning along the Kampala–Gulu Highway in Kiryandongo district.

The tragic incident has claimed 46 lives, with several others critically injured.

In a statement released on Wednesday morning, President Museveni, from Gulu City, extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wished a swift recovery to the injured.

“I have learnt with sadness about the tragic accident that occurred this morning along the Kampala–Gulu Highway, claiming several lives. I extend my condolences to …,” he said.

To assist the affected families, the President has directed the State House Comptroller to support each dead family’s relatives with shs5m and shs1m to those injured.

“I urge all road users to exercise …,” he added.

The crash, which occurred at approximately 12:15 a.m. at Kitaleba village near Asili Farm, involved four vehicles: two passenger buses belonging to Nile Star Coaches and Planet Company, a Toyota Land Cruiser, and a Tata lorry.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the Nile Star bus, travelling from Kampala towards Gulu, attempted to overtake the Tata lorry and collided head-on with the Planet bus coming from the opposite direction.

The Planet bus was also overtaking the Toyota Land Cruiser at the time, leading to a devastating impact that left the bus severely mangled.

The accident has been described as a horrific scene, with wreckage scattered across the highway and passengers trapped inside.

Rescue teams from the Uganda Police Force and the Uganda Red Cross Society worked through the night to recover bodies and evacuate the injured.

Also read: Nation in grief: ‘Only 46’ died in fatal Kampala-Gulu highway bus collision – police

Survivors were rushed to Kiryandongo General Hospital and nearby health facilities for treatment, while the deceased were taken to the hospital mortuary for postmortem and identification.

The Ministry of Works and Transport has launched investigations into the cause of the fatal road crash. A joint technical team, working with police investigators, is conducting a detailed assessment of the crash.

Authorities have appealed to all motorists to remain cautious and respect traffic regulations to prevent further tragedies on Uganda’s highways.