What began as a joyful celebration ended in tears on Saturday night when a vehicle carrying guests from a traditional marriage ceremony overturned in Chepkwatit, Kapchorwa District, killing eight people on the spot and claiming a ninth later.
Eight others sustained serious injuries and were rushed to health facilities in the region.
The accident involved a Toyota vehicle, registration number UBE 932N, which lost control along the notoriously steep and winding Kapchorwa–Bulambuli road.
The victims, all from Busia District, were reportedly relatives and in-laws of Engineer Angura, the Kween District Engineer.
They had travelled to Binyiny Sub-county in Kween District to attend his introduction ceremony earlier in the day.
Police and local authorities confirmed that the deceased were taken to Kapchorwa Hospital mortuary while the injured received emergency care at Muyembe Health Centre IV.
The area of Chepkwatit, where the tragedy occurred, has gained infamy for frequent and often fatal accidents, particularly involving drivers unfamiliar with the mountainous terrain.
Just a week prior, an Isuzu truck transporting cattle overturned at the same spot, killing eight people and several animals.
Road safety experts and local leaders have repeatedly flagged Chepkwatit and the nearby Towei slope as accident black spots on the Kapchorwa–Mbale route.
The road’s sharp gradients and narrow, winding sections make it difficult for drivers to maintain control—especially when descending in the wrong gear or overusing brakes.
“There is a signpost at Sipi warning motorists to shift to a lower gear before descending, but many do not heed it,” said one local leader, who decried the continued loss of life on the same stretch.
“We urge all drivers, especially those not used to this terrain, to descend slowly and use low gear. These slopes have claimed many lives.”
The tragedy has sparked renewed calls for government intervention to improve safety along the Elgon highland roads.
Suggestions include better road signage, mandatory installation of speed governors for vehicles travelling in the region, and routine safety education for drivers from the lowlands unfamiliar with mountainous driving conditions.
As the families of the victims prepare for burial, the community remains in shock over yet another avoidable catastrophe on a road long known for its dangers.