Police have arrested and detained two school bus drivers for dangerously overloading buses carrying pupils of St. Kizito Primary School, barely a day after the deadly school bus crash in Kapuchorwa. The Directorate of Traffic Police Spokesperson Micheal Kananura has identified the suspects as Kimbugwe Alia, driver of UA 092AS, who was found with 110 pupils on board, and Mutesasira Abubakari, driver of UAN 619X, who was carrying 97 pupils.
According to police, the two buses were intercepted on Friday morning at Golf Course during a traffic operation. Both drivers have since been charged with relevant traffic offenses and are detained at Kampala Central Police Station pending court appearance.
Police said they are working with the school management to ensure the pupils are safely transported to their destination using appropriate means. “With other key stakeholders we are working on guidelines for improving school transportation safety to minimize the increasing number of road crashes involving school children Kananura said.
The crackdown comes barely a day after the at Chekwatit crash in Kowo Sub-county, Kapchorwa. Two more pupils have died at Kapchorwa General Hospital, bringing the total number of fatalities to 21. The victims were pupils of King David Junior School, Ndejje, who were returning from a study tour when their school bus, UA 108BQ, reportedly developed a mechanical fault and crashed along the steep Chekwatit Hill, one of the country’s known accident black spots.
According to police, more than 70 people sustained injuries in the crash and were rushed to Kapchorwa General Hospital, Kaserem Health Centre IV, and Mbale Regional Referral Hospital for treatment.
Justin Phiona Namusazi, a parent at a Kampala school, has expressed concern over the rising number of crashes involving buses transporting students. She said there are a lot of gaps in the entire process of transporting children on school trips by school managements and bus companies. Said she: “I have just heard about King David School accident involving our children. It is very unfortunate that these accidents continue to happen. I spent the night thinking about these trips. Imagine receiving news that your child has died on a school trip. We appeal to government to put in place punitive measures against schools and bus companies.”
Namusazi said school trips cannot be abolished, but she proposed that the Ministry of Works and Transport, working with the Ministry of Education, should register bus companies and drivers contracted to transport children. “Whenever a new school term is starting, the ministry should identify qualified and inspected bus companies, with certified drivers who have the required certificates, Namusazi said. “Then the traffic police should do their job.”
Other incidents reported this year include a February accident in Mbarara where a school bus ferrying pupils overturned, leaving several learners injured. In May, a van transporting pupil in Wakiso District collided with a truck, killing 2 pupils and injuring others. Last week, a school train in Kampala knocked a pupil near the Namanve railway crossing, sparking fresh debate about safety at railway crossings used by learners -URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
