Kiryandongo, Uganda: it was just past midnight when the silence of the northern highway shattered. Two long-haul buses, each racing through the night, met head-on in a deadly collision that left at least 46 people dead and dozens injured. Twisted metal, shattered glass and cries for help marked the scene, as a haunting reminder of Uganda’s road safety crisis.
The crash occurred near the town of Kiryandongo, a few hours from Gulu, when both bus drivers reportedly attempted to overtake other vehicles at high speed. “In the process, both buses met head-on during the overtaking manoeuvres”, police said in a statement.
Initial police reports placed the death toll at 63 before being revised to 46 after rescuers found some victims still alive, though critically injured. By dawn, emergency workers and Red Cross responders were still counting the wounded, many with broken limbs and severe bleeding.
Irene Nakasiita, a spokesperson for the Uganda Red Cross said that – “the magnitude of this incident is so big”. Her voice heavy with emotion, extending her statement. “The images are too gruesome to share. These were families; people traveling home, to work, to see loved ones.”
At the nearby Kiryandongo General Hospital, nurses rushed between wards crowded with survivors. The hospital became a vigil of waiting for news, hope, answers, etc.
But from the road safety advocate – Joseph Beyanga, known across Uganda as Joe Walker, the tragedy was another grim statistic in a familiar pattern. He said – “These crashes are just a cruel reminder that we still have a long way to go. “On the government side, there is a total absence of enforcement. What’s happening on the roads is anarchy.”
Beyanga’s campaigns of long walks across Uganda to raise awareness about road safety, have drawn hundreds of attention. His next event in November, a 60-kilometre “memorial walk” will now carry the names and memories of those lost in Kiryandongo.
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