Uganda Police intercepts High School Buses Traveling to Tanzania
By George Bukenya
Schools have defied government directives which bar them from making study and sports trips without securing permission from relevant authorities. This has prompted police to arrest their drivers and impound buses.
At the end of last week six drivers were arrested and their buses impounded at Njeru while they made statements and released on bond pending charges for violating government travel rules and regulations.
Speaking to reporters at Naguru Police Headquarters, the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety spokesperson SP Michael Kananura said that police intercepted ten buses which where transporting students to Tanzania for a sports tournament however, six buses didn’t have the necessary requirements.
“ The drivers of school buses impounded two of them had no badges and the other 2 were found with expired badges while one bus had no PMO and PSV and one driver had permit that was out of class,’’ Kananura revealed.
The school buses impounded belonged to Gombe SS, Seroma Christian High School, Nabisunsa SS, St. Cyprian Kyabakadde , Light College Katikamu SS and Katikamu SD SS while the rest were allowed to continue with their journal because they possessed the necessary requirements.
Kananura also said that drivers and Head teachers whose buses violated the rules and regulations have been committed to court to answer their charges.
“ After the amendment of the law, violation of the law doesn’t stop at bus drivers only, it also extends to the school administrators who allows these buses to transport students even when they don’t have the legal requirements,’’ he said.
According to the new operating rules, schools intending to take students to any trip as required to first secure clearance from the ministry of Education and Sports or from the ministry of Works and Transport as well as taking the buses to police for inspection.
Meanwhile, police has registered a number of road traffic crashes across the country during the past one week. These crashes have claimed lives and left several other people injured.
The crashes involved Public Service Vehicles (PSVs), including commuter taxis and buses, Sino trucks and other motor vehicles. Preliminary findings indicate that the major contributing factors include speeding, careless overtaking and reckless driving.
Among the notable crashes registered are the following, a fatal crash at Kamuwunga Trading Centre, Lwera On 3 August 2026, in Lukaya, involving a commuter taxi and a Sino truck this claimed 13 lives, including that of the taxi driver, and injured four people, among them the driver of the Sino truck, identified as Kiyega Ibra Mukasa.
Preliminary findings indicate that the Sino truck driver allegedly drifted from his lane while the two vehicles were travelling at high speed, resulting in a head-on collision.
The driver of the Sino truck has since been charged with 16 counts relating to causing death and bodily injuries through reckless driving. While undergoing treatment, he remained under police guard. He has since been discharged and is appearing in court today to answer the charges preferred against him.
Another fatal accident occurred at Kakira along the Jinja–Iganga High way involving a commuter taxi that rammed into a moving truck from behind.
Three people, including the taxi driver, died on the spot, while 10 others sustained injuries. Preliminary findings indicate that excessive speed was a major contributing factor to the crash.
A serious crash also happened at Kamengo along the Masaka Highway involving a Global Bus, registration number UAZ 581U, that collided with a Sino truck, registration number UBM 256K investigations indicate that the bus driver, identified as Ssejjuko Patrick, was overtaking other vehicles when he collided with the Sino truck, which was travelling in the opposite direction.
Both drivers sustained injuries and are currently receiving medical treatment. The bus driver, who is considered the suspected cause of the crash, is under police guard and will be required to answer charges of causing bodily injuries through reckless driving upon his discharge from hospital.
The Namulanda accident along Entebbe Road, involved two motor vehicles, one of which allegedly drifted from its lane and collided with another vehicle carrying employees of Next Media who died at the scene, while others sustained injuries.
Kananura caution drivers to avoid driving at night and also when they are fatigued and all road users to prioritize safety over speed.