A serious road accident that occurred shortly after midnight Wednesday on the highway leading to Gulu in northern Uganda has claimed the lives of at least 63 people. The collision, which involved two buses and two other vehicles, is considered by authorities to be one of the deadliest road accidents in the East African country in recent years.

According to the police report, the accident occurred near the town of Kiryandongo when two bus drivers, traveling in the opposite direction, simultaneously attempted to overtake other vehicles. "During this maneuver, the two buses collided head-on," the police said in a statement.

Fatal accidents are common in Uganda and the surrounding region, where roads are often narrow and excessive speed is often singled out by police.

A Red Cross spokeswoman described the scene as exceptionally horrific, with the victims covered in blood and suffering broken limbs, adding that the images were too distressing to be broadcast. Most of the injured are currently being treated at a nearby public hospital.

This tragedy highlights an alarming trend: official figures from the Ugandan police show a worrying increase in road deaths. In 2024, 5,144 people were killed in road accidents, compared to 4,806 in 2023 and 4,534 in 2022.

The latest police crime report reveals that reckless overtaking and speeding accounted for 44.5% of all recorded accidents in 2024.

Following this latest tragedy, the police appealed: "As the investigation continues, we strongly urge all motorists to exercise maximum caution on the roads, in particular avoiding dangerous and reckless overtaking, which remains one of the leading causes of accidents in the country."