AT LEAST 46 people were killed after two buses and two other vehicles collided early today on a highway in western Uganda, in one of the country’s worst road crashes in years.

Police had initially put the death toll at 63 but later revised it down, saying several unconscious victims were mistakenly counted among the dead.

Several others were injured in the crash that happened after midnight local time on the highway to Gulu, a major city in northern Uganda.

The crash occurred after midnight near the town of Kiryandongo, when two buses travelling in opposite directions tried to overtake other vehicles and collided head-on. 

Several people were injured and taken to a nearby hospital.

Uganda’s Red Cross described the scene as “too gruesome to share,” with victims left bleeding and badly injured. 

Road safety campaigner Joseph Beyanga said the tragedy was a reminder of “anarchy” on Uganda’s roads, citing reckless driving, poor infrastructure and weak enforcement.

According to police figures, 5,144 people were killed in road crashes in 2024, up from 4,806 in 2023. 

Careless overtaking and speeding accounted for nearly half of all accidents.