On November 14, 1964, tragedy struck St Mary’s College Kisubi (SMACK) when 12 students were killed after an army truck collided with a school lorry carrying students returning from a football match in Kampala.
The accident, which occurred along the Entebbe Road shortly after 7:30pm, remains one of the darkest moments in the history of the renowned Catholic boys’ school, with accounts suggesting that the incident was preceded by political tensions between the central government and the Buganda Kingdom.
The students had travelled to Muteesa II Stadium in Wankulukuku, Kampala, where their school football team defeated St Henry’s College Kitovu 2-0 to win the Buganda Senior Cup final.
The victory had sparked celebrations among the students, who were travelling back to school in a convoy of vehicles.
However, their celebrations turned into horror approximately 12 miles from Kampala, near Kisubi, when a school lorry was struck by an army truck travelling from Entebbe towards the city.
According to an account by the then headmaster, Brother Paul Bourget, the army vehicle was moving at high speed, with its headlights on, and was positioned towards the middle of the road when it hit the school lorry.
The impact caused the school vehicle to skid off the road and overturn, throwing students out of the lorry onto the tarmac and surrounding areas.
The driver survived the crash but was reportedly threatened with death by soldiers when he emerged from the vehicle. Fearing for his life, he proceeded to Entebbe Police Station to report the incident.
The army truck, which was carrying approximately 20 soldiers, reportedly returned to the scene after the collision.
What followed, according to the historical account, was another disturbing chapter in the tragedy.
The soldiers allegedly refused to provide first aid or help transport the injured students to hospital, despite pleas from those at the scene.
Some soldiers were also accused of assaulting injured students, with one reportedly seen striking a wounded boy who later died, while another allegedly placed his foot on the chest of an injured student.
The soldiers also reportedly prevented people from assisting the victims, pointing their guns at those who attempted to conduct rescue operations.
Brother Edward Musoke and the school’s Head Prefect, George Bamuturaki, who had been travelling in the driver’s cabin, attempted to organise rescue efforts but were allegedly ordered by the soldiers to leave the bodies untouched.
Their attempts to assist the injured were reportedly frustrated by the soldiers, who threatened them with firearms.
Historical accounts suggest that the incident occurred against the backdrop of political unrest between the central government and the Buganda Kingdom.
Anthony Kyemwa, in his account of the incident, explained that central government police officers had been stationed at Kibuye along Entebbe Road.
According to his narration, the officers reportedly mistook the convoy of jubilating students for a politically motivated demonstration.
The police allegedly alerted the army in Entebbe about the developments, prompting the dispatch of a military force towards the city.
The resulting confrontation between the army vehicles and the school convoy culminated in the fatal collision.
There were also accounts suggesting that the soldiers had attempted to ram into other vehicles in the students’ convoy before striking the school lorry in which the 12 students lost their lives.
Although the precise circumstances and intentions surrounding the military movement remain part of the historical accounts, the tragedy has continued to be remembered as a painful episode in Uganda’s history.
The tragedy became even more devastating when another vehicle carrying SMACK students arrived at the scene shortly afterwards.
The students had been celebrating their school’s football victory and were unaware of the accident involving their colleagues.
According to an account by former student C. B. Kaliisa, the students initially peered through the vehicle windows to establish what had happened after noticing two overturned trucks.
When they discovered that their school lorry was involved, cries of distress reportedly broke out.
The students rushed out to help their colleagues, only to encounter a horrific scene of bloodied bodies, scattered shoes and wreckage from the overturned school vehicle.
Some of the students were already dead, while others had been thrown into roadside bushes and were still struggling with their injuries.
The arriving students attempted to assist their colleagues despite the distressing conditions at the scene.
Back at the school, Brother Paul Bourget mobilised all available vehicles and assigned staff members to transport the bodies of the deceased students from Mulago Hospital mortuary to their respective home areas.
The staff members were accompanied by security personnel to help manage possible security concerns, particularly because some parents had not yet been informed about the tragedy and would receive the devastating news when the bodies arrived.
On November 16, 1964, a requiem Mass was held at Kisubi Parish Church in honour of the departed students.
The service attracted approximately 2,000 people, including government officials, representatives of different religious denominations, medical and educational institutions, as well as SMACK students and staff.
The gathering provided an opportunity for the school community, families and the wider public to mourn the students and reflect on the tragic loss.
Since 1964, the school has maintained an annual memorial Mass on November 14 in honour of the 12 students who lost their lives in the Entebbe Road tragedy.
The memorial has also been extended to remember other members of the school community, including students, staff and alumni who have died over the years.
The 12 students who never returned from celebrating their school’s football triumph remain part of the SMACK community history, remembered not only for the tragedy that claimed their lives but also for the legacy of remembrance they left behind.
