Grief and shock have engulfed Kitaleba Village in Kiryandongo District after 63 people lost their lives in one of the deadliest road crashes Uganda has witnessed in recent years.

The accident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at around 12:15 a.m., near Asili Farm along the Kampala–Gulu Highway a route that has claimed many lives before.

According to police, the crash involved four vehicles , two passenger buses, an Isuzu bus belonging to Nile Star Coaches (UBF 614X), another from Planet Company (UAM 045V), a Toyota Surf (CGO 5132AB 07), and a Tata Lorry (UBK 647C).

Witnesses described a horrifying scene of twisted metal, shattered glass, and cries for help piercing the darkness. The accident happened when one bus from Kampala tried to overtake a lorry, while another from Gulu attempted to overtake a smaller vehicle from the opposite direction. The two buses collided head-on, triggering a deadly chain reaction that left dozens dead and several others with life-threatening injuries.

“I have never seen anything like this,” said one local resident, still trembling as he recounted the chaos. “People were screaming, others trapped inside the buses. We tried to help, but it was too dark and too much to handle.”

SP Michael Kananura, the Police Traffic Spokesperson, described the incident as a national tragedy.
“This is a heartbreaking accident that has claimed 63 lives and left many others injured. We urge all motorists to avoid reckless overtaking — it continues to cost lives every day,” he said.

Emergency responders, police, and volunteers worked through the night to pull survivors from the wreckage. The injured were rushed to Kiryandongo Hospital and nearby health centres for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were taken to the hospital mortuary for post-mortem and identification.

As dawn broke, grief-stricken families began arriving at the scene and hospitals, hoping against hope that their loved ones were among the survivors. Many wept uncontrollably as police read out the preliminary list of victims.

Police say investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the crash, but reckless overtaking and speeding are suspected to be major factors.