By Richard Onapatum
Yesterday, a somber cloud descended as the Moroto High School bus, identified by registration number UBC 623D, careened off course along the winding Pallisa-Tirinyi Road at approximately 11 p.m. The bus, packed with students embarking on a fieldwork study tour to Kisenyi Landing Site, met with an unexpected turn of fate.
The journey, meant to be an educational excursion, turned harrowing as the vehicle, laden with students from Moroto High School and St. Andrews Lotome, veered off its intended path. Preliminary investigations point to driver fatigue as the probable cause, with reports suggesting that the driver succumbed to sleep along the Tirinyi-Palisa highway.
In the wake of the accident, three students from St. Andrews Lotome find themselves in critical condition. However, amidst the chaos, a silver lining emerges as there have been no reported fatalities thus far. The resilience of the students, coupled with timely emergency response, has prevented a potential tragedy from unfolding into something far more devastating.
Eyewitnesses recount encounters with the ill-fated bus prior to the accident. Bole, a resident of Moroto town, shared his experience encountering the bus en route to Kaabong. “As I was heading to Kotido last evening, I met that bus,” Bole recalled. His observation paints a picture of the challenges faced by drivers navigating long distances, hinting at the toll it takes on their endurance and alertness.
The incident serves as a reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of prioritizing safety on the roads.
