KITALEBA VILLAGE, UGANDA – October 22, 2025 – The nation is in mourning today after a catastrophic road crash claimed the lives of 63 people and left several others injured in a devastating collision involving four vehicles along the busy Kampala-Gulu Highway.
The fatal incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, at precisely 12:15 a.m., at Kitaleba Village, near Asili Farm. According to preliminary reports from authorities, the crash involved two buses, a lorry, and a Toyota SUV.
Initial investigations point to a tragic case of simultaneous and misjudged overtaking as the cause of the disaster. The driver of an Isuzu bus with registration UBF 614X, operating for Nile Star Coaches and travelling from Kampala towards Gulu, attempted to overtake a Tata Lorry (UBK 647C).
At that exact moment, in the opposite lane, another Isuzu bus, UAM 045V from Planet Company, was also attempting an overtaking manoeuvre, trying to pass a Toyota Surf (CGO 5132AB 07). This set the stage for an unavoidable confrontation.
“The two buses met head-on during the overtaking manoeuvres,” a police statement read. “In a desperate last-second attempt to avoid a collision, one of the drivers swerved. Unfortunately, this resulted in a severe head-on and side collision.”
The impact triggered a chain reaction of destruction, causing the involved vehicles to lose control and overturn multiple times. The force of the collision was so severe that all 63 fatalities were occupants of the vehicles involved. Emergency services rushed to the scene to evacuate the injured, who are now receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.
This crash represents one of the deadliest traffic accidents in Uganda’s recent history, casting a pall of grief over the communities connected to the victims. The Kampala-Gulu Highway is a critical transport artery in the country, and this tragedy has once again raised urgent questions about road safety, driver discipline, and overtaking practices on Ugandan roads.
As recovery and identification efforts continue, police have launched a full investigation into the exact circumstances leading to the catastrophic event.
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