By Henry Okello
TORORO
More than 50 students of Kirewa Senior Secondary School in Tororo District were on Tuesday, 8th April, 2025 rushed to different health facilities across Tororo after a fuso truck they were travelling in overturned.
The students were on their way to Mahanga secondary school where a number of schools from West Budama had gathered for patriotism passout.
The students, all between Senior One and Three, were being transported in an overloaded Isuzu truck, registration number UBF 785R, which reportedly failed to navigate a sharp bend in Sesera village along the Nagongera- Busolwe road.
Early in the day, many of them were rushed to Nagongera Health Center 4 for management, however, more than 20 were in the afternoon rushed to Tororo General Hospital for further management.
Among the injured are Grace Ayo, Teteza Awino, Mary Athieno, Jane Akoth, Evelyn Achieng, Prossy Akoth, and Christine Nyadoi.
Others Jane Apio, Mercy Apoya, Simon Peter Okumu, Brian Geno Were, John Paul Oketch, Lawrence Ochieng, and Chris Okello.
A Senior Three student, Tereza Achar, blamed the school administration for ignoring their concerns.
“I was refusing to board the truck since it was full, but teachers insisted. They didn’t listen to us,” she mentioned.
When East News visited Tororo Hospital, an ambulance donated by the Machika Foundation was still ferrying injured students from Nagongera Health Centre IV for better medical attention.
Many of the victims were in severe pain after suffering injuries to their backs, heads, and legs, injuries that required X-ray examination.
Livingstone Ochieng, the school deputy headteacher has downplayed the accident and blamed the driver for failing to control the vehicle.
John Okea, the Tororo district Chairperson, blamed the school headteacher for using a fuso truck for transporting learners yet the government banned this practice.
The Tororo district traffic Officer, Aisati Nandutu confirmed the incident and said investigation are underway.
