The death toll from the King David Junior School bus crash in Kapchorwa has climbed to 26, with 21 pupils and five members of staff confirmed dead, government officials have said.
The victims include the school’s director, Tadeo Ssekadde, according to the latest update released on Friday.
Acting Education Minister Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo said an inter-ministerial committee had been established to investigate the cause of the crash.
He said a total of 217 pupils and staff had travelled for the educational tour in two buses and support vehicles. The bus involved in the accident was carrying 107 people when it overturned as the group returned from visiting tourist attractions, including Sipi Falls.
Dr Muyingo said 44 survivors were receiving treatment at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, with several reported to be in critical condition.
Despite the official update, many parents gathered at the school in Ndejje said they were still waiting to learn whether their children were among those who died, were injured or had survived.
“We need to know whether our children are safe or not. We need the status of which child is in which situation,” one parent told the minister.
Florence Sitenda, a resident of Kiza Kimwanyi, said she had spent hours searching for information but had received no confirmation.
“Up to now, we do not know whether our child died or not. The name is not appearing on the lists being shared,” she said.
As relatives continued searching for answers, more accounts of the tragedy emerged. The school’s bursar, Atuhire Flavia, said one pupil she knew had died while another survived with critical injuries.
Another parent, Qureshi Jjumba, broke down after learning that only one of his three children who had joined the trip had been confirmed alive, while the whereabouts of the other two remained unknown.
Although authorities released partial lists of identified victims, many families were still awaiting confirmation. Uganda Radio Network has learnt that some parents travelled to Mbale and Kapchorwa in an effort to locate their children.
The area’s Member of Parliament, David Sserukenya, urged families to remain patient as the identification process continued.
“We are told some children cannot be identified by eye, and there will be a technical process. Let’s remain calm and allow the ministries of Education and Health to complete the process,” he said.
Parents also appealed to the government to ensure the safe return of pupils who were not involved in the crash, saying reuniting families would help reduce anxiety and uncertainty.
Meanwhile, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Dr Mercy Lakisa said counsellors had been deployed to provide psychosocial support to affected pupils, parents and staff.
“We have brought in counsellors to support the children, parents and teachers during this difficult moment. The emotional pain of losing loved ones and waiting for information about missing children requires proper support,” Lakisa said.
