It was a quiet early morning on the road to Arua when a routine bus journey turned into a terrifying ordeal for passengers aboard a Baby Coach bus. The vehicle, traveling from Kampala, lost control and overturned in Vulu Vulu village, Ulagu Parish, Padwot Sub-County, Nebbi District.
Many of the passengers had been asleep when the crash happened. Eyewitnesses say the bus suddenly swerved and rolled onto its side, throwing passengers against windows and seats. Images shared online show the bus lying off the road, its front windshield shattered and metal body visibly damaged.
Denis Opio, the LCIII Chairperson of Padwot Sub-County, was among the first to confirm the incident.
“Thankfully, there were no deaths,” he said, “but several passengers were injured and rushed to nearby health centres for treatment.”
Locals rushed to the scene to help. Some passengers were pulled through broken windows, while others were carried away on makeshift stretchers using jackets and mats.
This is not the first time a Baby Coach bus has been involved in a serious road accident. Just days earlier, another bus from the same company crashed in Nwoya District, raising growing concern among Ugandans about the safety of public transport—especially on long-distance routes.
For survivors of Wednesday’s crash, the shock hasn’t worn off.
“We were just sleeping when it happened. Suddenly, there was screaming, glass breaking, and everything turned upside down,” said one passenger, still visibly shaken at a local clinic.
Statistics from the Uganda Police Force’s 2024 Annual Crime Report paint a grim picture: road traffic crashes rose by 6.4% compared to the previous year, with over 25,000 incidents reported. Fatal crashes also increased to 4,434 cases.
As investigations continue, passengers and families are left asking the same urgent questions: how many more lives need to be at risk before serious action is taken?
