By Tolit Ivan & Norbert Mao
Fourteen passengers have been confirmed dead while 28 others injuried in a fatal road crash along the Gulu-Kampala Highway on Tuesday night.
The accident, at Kulu Otit village in Bobi Sub County, Omoro district, involved Opit Travelers Bus No. UBE 110H and a Semi-trailer Reg. No. KBS 564D/ZE.
Preliminary reports indicate that the two vehicles collided head on.
The bus, which was carrying more than 60 passengers, was travelling from Kampala towards Gulu while the semi-trailer was heading in the opposite direction.
The injured were rushed to St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor, Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, C-Care and Gulu Independent Hospital.
Eyewitness accounts, however, suggest the driver of the bus lost control while attempting to dodge a pedestrian who was suspected to have been intoxicated before swerving off towards the oncoming trailer.
David Ongom Mudong, the Aswa West Regional Police Spokesperson, confirmed the incident, saying bodies of the vicitms have been conveyed to Gulu regional referral hospital mortuary and St Mary’s hospital Lacor mortuary.
The latest tragedy adds to the growing number of fatal crashes recorded along the Kampala-Gulu Highway, with authorities repeatedly citing speeding, dangerous overtaking and other forms of reckless driving as the leading causes of road accidents in the country.
In March this year, five people were killed in road crash in Kiryandongo District involving Mega Executive bus registration number UBQ 350T, which was travelling from Gulu to Kampala, and a stationary Sino truck registration number UBF 576B.
In October 2025, at least 46 people were killed while 67 others were injured in another fatal accident along the same Gulu–Kampala highway in Kiryandongo District. The accident occurred near Asilli’s Farm in Kataleba Village, Kiryandongo Sub-county, involving four vehicles: a Nile Star Coaches Isuzu bus (UBF 614X) travelling from Kampala to Arua, a Planet Company Isuzu bus (UAM 045V) heading in the opposite direction, a Tata lorry (UBK 647C), and a Toyota Surf (CGO 5132AB 07).
According to the 2025 Police Annual Crime Report, a total of 322,441 traffic-related cases were recorded in 2025, down from 426,432 cases reported in 2024.
