- Road crashes involving school buses have prompted NTSA and the National Police Service to intensify inspections under Operation Watoto Wafike Salama ahead of and during the August holidays.
- The writer has raised concerns about whether corruption has allowed defective buses to pass inspections, calling for stricter, impartial enforcement of transport regulations.
- According to WHO data, there are 1.19 million global road deaths annually and Uganda’s July 2026 school bus tragedy, which killed more than twenty children, underscores the urgency of stronger safety measures.
As schools approach the August holidays, one of the busiest periods in the education calendar begins. Before schools close and well into the holiday season, thousands of learners travel across the country to participate in national music festivals, sports championships, academic contests, educational tours, benchmarking visits and other co-curricular activities. Roads become increasingly busy with school buses and hired vehicles transporting children over long distances.
Unfortunately, this season has also witnessed recurring road tragedies involving school buses. The loss of young lives is heartbreaking and unacceptable. Every child who leaves school for an educational activity should return home safely. Instead, some families are left mourning children whose dreams were cut short by preventable road accidents.
The recent increase in road crashes has prompted the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), together with the National Police Service, to intensify inspections on school buses under Operation Watoto Wafike Salama ahead of and during the August holiday travel period. The campaign seeks to ensure that school vehicles comply with road safety regulations and that children’s safety remains paramount.
Who must bear responsibility?
These tragic incidents raise difficult but necessary questions. Are all school buses roadworthy? Are they serviced regularly by qualified mechanics? Do they meet the safety standards prescribed by NTSA before transporting learners over long distances? Are some schools hiring vehicles simply because they are cheaper without verifying their safety records?
School administrators bear a profound responsibility. Before approving any journey, they should ensure that every vehicle has valid inspection certificates, comprehensive insurance, emergency equipment and qualified drivers. Risk assessments should be conducted before departure, parents should be informed, and emergency response plans should be prepared. Convenience, deadlines or financial considerations should never compromise safety.
Drivers remain the first line of defence. They must be properly licensed, medically fit, adequately rested and familiar with the routes they intend to travel. They should obey speed limits, avoid dangerous overtaking and never drive while fatigued. Professionalism behind the wheel saves lives.
Traffic police also have a crucial responsibility. Whenever they stop school buses, they should verify the driver’s licence, vehicle inspection certificate, insurance, mechanical condition and compliance with traffic laws. Enforcement must be impartial and free from corruption because every inspection could prevent a fatal crash.
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Parents, government and the corruption question
Parents equally have a duty to safeguard their children. They should inquire about transport arrangements before giving consent for school trips and encourage their children to observe all safety instructions while travelling. Learners should avoid distracting drivers, remain disciplined throughout the journey and report unsafe practices immediately.
The Ministry of Education, NTSA and the Government should strengthen enforcement through regular inspections, stricter compliance audits and severe penalties for institutions that disregard transport regulations. Public awareness campaigns on learner transport safety should be intensified before schools close and continue throughout the holiday period.
A difficult question that cannot be ignored is whether corruption contributes to these tragedies. If defective buses pass inspections through bribery or enforcement officers overlook violations, then society is failing its children. Road safety laws only protect lives when they are enforced consistently and without compromise.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), road traffic injuries claim approximately 1.19 million lives globally every year and remain one of the leading causes of death among children and young people. In Kenya, road fatalities continue to be a major public health concern, with NTSA reporting thousands of deaths annually. In the first half of 2026 alone, more than 2,150 people had already lost their lives in road crashes, underscoring the urgency of stronger safety measures.
A regional tragedy, a national call to action
The tragedy is not confined to Kenya. Neighbouring countries have also suffered devastating school transport accidents. In July 2026, Uganda lost more than twenty children when a school bus returning from an educational trip overturned, prompting the government to suspend school trips nationwide while investigations were undertaken.
The renowned consumer safety advocate Ralph Nader once observed that traffic accidents represent one of the greatest, though widely tolerated, epidemics of our time. Nelson Mandela equally reminded the world that a society’s soul is revealed by how it treats its children.
As schools prepare for the August holidays and learning activities continue throughout the season, let every stakeholder renew their commitment to protecting young lives. Let school buses undergo thorough inspections. Let drivers uphold the highest standards of professionalism. Let administrators refuse to compromise on safety. Let parents remain vigilant. Let law enforcement officers enforce the law with integrity. Above all, let corruption have no place where children’s lives are concerned.
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Our children are not statistics. They are tomorrow’s teachers, doctors, engineers, farmers, entrepreneurs and leaders. No educational trip, sporting event or music festival is worth the loss of even one child. The greatest tribute we can pay to those young souls who have perished is to ensure that every learner boards a safe bus, travels safely and returns home safely.
May the souls of the departed children rest in eternal peace, and may their memory inspire a national commitment to making school transport safer for every learner.
By Astiba Kebong’o
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