Barely four days after suspending passenger operations in the wake of multiple fatal crashes, Nile Trade Link Services, the company that manages Nilestar Buses, has announced the resumption of its services along the Kampala–West Nile route.
The company halted all passenger transport on Thursday, November 6, 2025, following three separate accidents that occurred within ten hours in Wobulenzi, Kiryandongo, and along the Koboko–Yumbe road involving different Nilestar buses.
The decision came barely a month after one of the company’s buses collided head-on with a Platinum Bus in Kiryandongo district, killing 46 passengers and injuring dozens across the two buses, a truck, and a private Congolese-registered vehicle.
In an official statement issued on Sunday, Nile Trade Link announced the immediate resumption of passenger operations, including ticket bookings and travel starting Monday, November 10, 2025.
“Ending a critical transport hiatus for West Nile, Nilestar is pleased to inform the public and its valued customers that we will officially resume full transportation services effective Monday, November 10, 2025. This decision follows a comprehensive and collaborative period of preparation,” the company said in part.
Management stated that the suspension had given them time to assess safety procedures and retrain drivers. An intensive refresher course for all drivers is ongoing to reinforce professionalism, discipline, and road safety standards.
“We are grateful to have worked closely with the ministry of Works and Transport in a dedicated workshop focused on enhancing national transport standards, regulatory compliance, and passenger safety,” the company added.
The brief suspension had left thousands of passengers stranded and affected the region’s economy, given Nilestar’s dominance on the West Nile–Kampala route. While some residents welcomed the return, others expressed skepticism about the company’s readiness to guarantee passenger safety after such a short break.
“Let those who want to use them go ahead. I will wait until I see them properly stabilized on the road,” said Morgan Akuma, a businessman in Arua and frequent traveller to Kampala.
At Nilestar’s Arua terminal, a few passengers were seen booking trips to Kampala on Monday morning, marking a cautious return to normalcy. North West Nile regional police spokesperson, Collins Asea, confirmed the company’s resumption of operations but declined to comment on the safety review process, saying investigations into the earlier crashes were still ongoing.
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