By Sulaiman Kauki
MUKONO. Grief has gripped residents of Mukono Municipality after one teacher died and several students injured after a passenger train collided with a bus carrying Mwebaza High School students .
The Friday morning crash happened at about 6am at the Namumira railway crossing in Mukono Municipality as the Friendship Company bus, carrying more than 70 students going on a study trip to Jinja., attempted to cross the railway line. The bus was struck by a passenger train travelling from Mukono to Kampala, causing it to overturn.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene, while critically injured students were transported to Mukono General Hospital for treatment.
Uganda Railways spokesperson John Lenon Sengendo confirmed the incident, saying one adult died in the crash.
According to Sengendo, preliminary findings indicate that the bus driver failed to comply with traffic instructions at the railway crossing.
He said a police officer stationed about 200 metres from the crossing had signalled the driver to stop, but the driver allegedly ignored the instruction and drove onto the railway line, where the collision occurred.
“The train crew repeatedly sounded the horn as it approached the crossing, but the bus continued onto the railway line,” Sengendo said.
The train later resumed its journey to Kampala after emergency operations at the scene.
Abdul Ssali, one of the first responders, said the number of injured overwhelmed available emergency services.
“All the critically injured students were rushed to hospital on boda bodas because the available ambulances were not enough,” he said.
Residents blamed the accident on poor safety infrastructure at the railway crossing, saying it lacks adequate warning signs, automatic barriers and traffic lights.
They also accused DAKS Clearing and Forwarding Company of allowing trucks to park near the crossing, obstructing motorists’ visibility and increasing the risk of accidents.
Another eyewitness, Joseph Kaweesi, said the students were singing and loud music was playing inside the bus as it approached the crossing.
He suggested the driver may not have heard the train’s warning horn because of the noise inside the bus.
Other eyewitnesses, however, said the train repeatedly sounded its horn to warn approaching motorists, but the bus driver failed to stop before entering the railway crossing.
Sengendo urged motorists, especially drivers of public service vehicles, to obey traffic regulations and follow instructions from police officers and railway stewards at crossings.
He said Uganda Railways is implementing a programme to install automated barriers at railway crossings in densely populated areas but stressed that infrastructure improvements must be matched by responsible road user behaviour to prevent similar accidents.