At least one person has been killed and several others injured following a head-on collision involving a passenger bus and a truck along the Masaka–Mbarara road.
The crash occurred on Sunday, August 9, as the bus, registration UZD 581U, was travelling from Mbarara towards Kampala. It collided with a red truck, registration UBM 256K, leaving both vehicles extensively damaged.
Videos and photographs from the scene showed the wreckage of the two vehicles as responders worked to assist those trapped or injured, while crowds gathered around the crash site.
The identities of the deceased and the exact number and condition of those injured had not immediately been established.
The cause of the collision was also not immediately clear, and investigations are expected to establish what led the two vehicles to collide.
The crash has, however, renewed concerns over safety on the busy Masaka–Mbarara highway, one of Uganda’s major transport corridors.
Road safety advocates have in recent days called for tighter scrutiny of heavy trucks, including vehicles manufactured by Sino Trucks, amid concerns about their mechanical condition and the conduct of drivers.
The Ministry of Works and Transport has already ordered Sino trucks operating in Greater Kampala to undergo mandatory inspection within 60 days. The exercise is intended to assess the mechanical condition and maintenance standards of the trucks, while their drivers are also to be identified, vetted and accredited.
The directive followed a series of fatal crashes involving heavy commercial vehicles.
The latest incident also comes less than a week after a deadly crash at Lwera Swamp on the Kampala–Masaka Highway, in which at least 14 people were killed and four others critically injured. A Sino truck was among the vehicles involved in that crash.
The Masaka–Mbarara corridor has also recorded several serious bus crashes. In April 2026, at least eight people were killed and 33 injured in a crash at Lwego along the highway.
Uganda Police’s 2025 road safety data identifies head-on collisions among the significant categories of road crashes and links many crashes to factors including driver error, unsafe overtaking and failure to maintain safe following distances. The police report also notes that most crashes occur on straight road sections, where speeding and risky overtaking are more prevalent.
The repeated crashes have intensified calls for stronger enforcement of speed limits, mandatory vehicle inspections and closer monitoring of heavy commercial vehicles.
Authorities have yet to release a detailed statement on Sunday’s collision, including the confirmed death toll, number of casualties and preliminary findings on its cause.
