Nile Trade Link Services, the company managing Nile Star Buses, has suspended all passenger transport operations following a spate of fatal accidents involving its fleet within just one month.
In a public notice issued on Thursday, the company said the suspension takes immediate effect to allow for a comprehensive review and restructuring of its operations.
“To our esteemed customers and the entire public, we wish to inform you that Nile Trade Link Limited has temporarily suspended all passenger transport services effective 6th November 2025,” the statement reads in part.
While passenger operations have been halted, the company said it will continue to handle parcel and luggage transportation as internal reviews continue.
Three crashes in one month
The decision follows three serious accidents involving Nile Star buses in recent weeks. Barely a month ago, a Nile Star bus en route from Kampala to Yumbe collided head-on with a Platinum Bus in Kiryandongo district, killing 43 passengers across the two buses, a truck, and a Congolese-registered private vehicle.
On Wednesday evening, another Nile Star bus heading to Arua from Kampala veered off the road. It overturned in Kololo village, Kiryandongo district, after the driver reportedly swerved to avoid a motorcycle rider. Several passengers sustained critical injuries.
Less than 24 hours later, on Thursday morning, an executive Nile Star bus travelling from Arua to Kampala knocked down a motorcycle and its passenger in Wobulenzi town, leaving both critically injured.
The string of accidents has sparked public outrage and fear among travellers, with growing calls for tighter regulation and stronger enforcement of road safety standards in Uganda’s long-distance transport sector.
In Arua city, residents and regular passengers welcomed the suspension, saying it was long overdue. “Nile Star should take ample time to review its operations before resuming,” said Vincent Akuma, a businessman who frequently uses the company’s services and lost a colleague in last month’s crash.
“This is a busy period, but people’s lives must come first.” Transport analysts say the suspension could serve as a turning point for the industry, which has faced recurring safety concerns tied to reckless driving, fatigue, and poor vehicle maintenance.
Authorities from the ministry of Works and Transport have not yet commented on Nile Star’s decision, but police reports indicate that investigations into all three incidents are still ongoing.
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