At least two people have lost their lives and several others sustained injuries after a Pokopoko company bus was involved in a fatal accident along the Mubende–Fort Portal highway on Sunday evening.
The bus, registration number UBR 796N, was en route from Kampala to Fort Portal when one of its front tyres reportedly burst, causing the driver to lose control. The vehicle veered off the road and overturned, killing two passengers instantly and leaving dozens of others injured, some critically. The injured were rushed to Mubende Regional Referral Hospital, where they are currently receiving treatment.
According to eyewitnesses, the bus was moving at a relatively high speed before the tyre burst, which led to the catastrophic rollover. “We heard a loud bang and then saw the bus swerving uncontrollably before it flipped,” said one local resident who arrived at the scene shortly after the crash.
The Uganda Police Force has launched an investigation into the incident to determine the exact cause and to ascertain whether there was negligence on the part of the driver or the bus company.
This latest tragedy adds to the growing list of road traffic accidents in Uganda, which continue to claim lives and cause life-altering injuries.
According to the 2023 Annual Crime Report by the Uganda Police, road crashes remain one of the leading causes of death and disability in the country. In 2023 alone, over 20,000 road traffic accidents were recorded, with thousands of fatalities and injuries.
As investigations continue into the Pokopoko bus crash, authorities are calling for heightened vigilance on the roads, especially as traffic increases during weekends and holiday periods.
