Police in Kampala have arrested and detained two school bus drivers after they were found dangerously overloading buses carrying pupils of St. Kizito Primary School who were travelling for a school tour.
The drivers were arrested during a traffic enforcement operation conducted at the Golf Course area by officers from the Central Police Station (CPS). Authorities say the operation targeted traffic violations that put the lives of road users, especially children, at risk.
According to police, one of the suspects, identified as Kimbugwe Alia, was driving bus registration number UA 092AS. Upon inspection, officers discovered that the bus was carrying an astonishing 110 pupils, far beyond the safe passenger capacity of the vehicle.
The second suspect, Mutesasira Abubakari, was driving motor vehicle registration number UAN 619X. Police found that his bus was transporting 97 pupils, also exceeding the recommended passenger limit and exposing the children to significant danger in the event of an accident or emergency.
The two buses were immediately intercepted, and the drivers were arrested and taken into custody. Police later charged them with relevant traffic offences related to dangerous and unlawful transportation practices. The suspects are currently being held at Kampala CPS and are expected to appear before court.
Following the arrests, police worked closely with the management of St. Kizito Primary School to ensure that all the pupils were safely transported to their intended destination using suitable and safer means of transport.
The incident has once again highlighted concerns about the safety of school transportation in Uganda, especially amid reports of increasing road crashes involving vehicles carrying children. Authorities have repeatedly warned transport operators and school administrators against overloading vehicles, emphasizing that such practices place young lives at unnecessary risk.
Police revealed that they are currently working with other key stakeholders to develop and strengthen guidelines aimed at improving the safety of school transportation across the country. The proposed measures are expected to address issues such as vehicle capacity, driver conduct, roadworthiness, and overall child safety during school trips and daily transportation.
The new guidelines will be announced after the ongoing consultations are completed. In the meantime, police have urged schools, transport providers, and parents to prioritize the safety of children and strictly adhere to traffic regulations to prevent avoidable tragedies on Uganda’s roads.
