Kampala, Uganda: The Uganda Police Force and road safety advocates have pledged deeper collaboration to tackle the country’s growing road safety challenges, as fresh statistics reveal that thousands of Ugandans continue to lose their lives on the nation’s roads every year.
The commitment was made during a high-level engagement between officials from the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety and representatives from the Uganda Road Accident Reduction Network Organisation (URRENO) and Legacy Road Safety Initiative (LRSI) under the CommitToAct 2026 Campaign.
The meeting focused on findings from recent Mobility Snapshot assessments conducted at various intersections across Kampala and explored ways of improving safety for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and other road users.
Participants commended progress made by Kampala authorities in recent years, including the installation of signalized pedestrian crossings, upgraded junctions and improved road layouts aimed at reducing crashes.
However, stakeholders agreed that significant challenges remain. Among the concerns raised were inadequate enforcement, limited cycling infrastructure, incomplete pedestrian walkways and continued non-compliance with traffic regulations.
Speaking during the engagement, Superintendent of Police Michael Kananura, the Community Liaison Officer and Public Relations Officer at the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, identified the rapid growth of boda-boda transport and limited enforcement resources as key obstacles to improving road safety.
Kananura also pointed to the absence of dual carriageways on many roads as a major contributor to serious crashes, particularly head-on collisions.
“The increasing number of motorcycles on our roads, coupled with limited enforcement resources and inadequate road infrastructure, continues to present major challenges,” Kananura noted. He revealed that police are increasingly turning to technology to strengthen traffic management and enforcement.
Among the innovations highlighted were intelligent traffic signals and the upcoming Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS), which will use camera-based technology to detect and penalize traffic violations.
Kananura said sustained public awareness campaigns are already showing positive results.
According to police data, road crashes involving children aged between 5 and 17 years declined by 9 percent following intensified road safety sensitization efforts. The reduction has reinforced calls for continued investment in public education programmes targeting drivers, pedestrians and school-going children.
Road safety advocates welcomed the progress but emphasized that awareness campaigns alone cannot solve the crisis. They called for stronger enforcement, improved infrastructure and better protection for vulnerable road users.
Uganda’s Road Carnage Still Alarming
The discussions come against the backdrop of alarming findings contained in the Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 2025.
According to the report, Uganda recorded 25,107 road crashes in 2025 compared to 23,608 crashes in 2024, representing an increase of 6.3 percent.
The number of people killed on Ugandan roads also rose significantly. A total of 5,144 people lost their lives in road crashes during 2025 compared to 4,806 deaths recorded in 2024. This translates into an average of approximately 14 deaths every day.
Police statistics further show that 16,577 people sustained injuries in road crashes in 2025, up from 15,227 in 2024. The figures highlight the growing burden road traffic injuries continue to place on families, health facilities and the economy.
The 2025 Police Crime Report identifies reckless road user behaviour as the leading cause of crashes.
According to police data, careless overtaking, speeding, distracted driving, dangerous loading practices, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and failure to observe traffic signs remain the biggest contributors to road accidents.
Motorcyclists continue to account for a significant proportion of road crash victims. The 2025 report indicated that boda-bodas were involved in thousands of crashes, with many incidents linked to speeding, poor lane discipline, helmet non-compliance and disregard for traffic regulations.
Pedestrians also remain among the most vulnerable road users, particularly in urban centres where safe walking infrastructure remains limited.
Participants at the CommitToAct 2026 engagement agreed that stronger partnerships between law enforcement agencies and civil society organizations are essential in addressing these challenges.
Road safety advocates also pledged to continue supporting public sensitization campaigns while advocating for safer roads, improved pedestrian facilities and dedicated cycling infrastructure.
Police encouraged organizations such as URRENO and LRSI to continue collecting road safety data and identifying high-risk locations that require targeted interventions.
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