More than 150 activists participated in a 10-kilometre road safety awareness walk in Kampala. The walk was aimed at raising awareness about the growing number of boda boda-related road crashes and deaths.
Participants went through different parts of Kampala, stopping at major boda boda stages to speak directly to riders and passengers about the importance of discipline, helmet usage, visibility, and respect for traffic rules. While flagging off the walk, KCCA Deputy Executive Director Benon Kigenyi said the city authority is investing heavily in safer roads and non-motorized transport infrastructure to protect vulnerable road users, hence limiting crashes.
Kigenyi revealed that KCCA had recently reopened the non-motorized transport corridor stretching from Luwum Street to Namirembe in Old Kampala for the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. He also said the authority had removed parking from some road sections to create more room for safer movement.“5,383 deaths from road crashes last year are not just a number,” Kigenyi said. “It represents dreams cut short, and families left in pain.”He encouraged more organizations to join the road safety campaign, noting that almost every Ugandan depends on boda bodas at some point.
“If we are to enjoy that last mile that boda bodas provide, then every road user must act responsibly,” Kigenyi said before flagging off the walk. The walk, organized by the Joe Walker Foundation, brought together boda boda riders, cyclists, police officers, Kampala Capital City Authority officials, road safety advocates, and ordinary residents to encourage safer road use for all Ugandans.Uganda Traffic Police spokesperson Michael Kananura described the walk as timely, saying road crashes remain a major national problem.
According to police statistics for 2025, Uganda registered 5,383 deaths from road crashes last year.”Behind every death are widows, widowers, orphans, and broken families,” Kananura saidHe noted that boda bodas play an important role in Uganda’s transport system because they help people navigate traffic and provide last-mile transport services. However, he warned that motorcycle riders and passengers accounted for 47 percent of all road crash fatalities recorded last year.
Kananura urged riders and passengers to wear helmets at all times, saying safety should not depend only on police enforcement.“This helmet saves your life, do not wait for the police to force you,” he saidThe traffic officer also reminded motorists to drive carefully around boda bodas, pedestrians, and cyclists, saying road safety is a shared responsibility.
He blamed many accidents on indiscipline and impatience among road users, urging people to obey traffic rules and become role models for others.Speaking before the walk started, Joseph Beyanga, of Joe Walker Foundation, said the campaign was intended to remind road users that every journey should end safely.“Most of the time, we focus on the destination and forget the journey.
We want every rider, passenger, cyclist, and pedestrian to leave home and return safely.” Beyanga said.He warned that vulnerable road users continue to suffer the biggest burden of road crashes in Uganda. According to him, more than 94 percent of road crash victims are pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists, while motorcycles alone account for nearly half of all crash victims nationwide.
“These numbers are alarming; if we do not act, we shall continue burying our brothers, sisters, parents, and children.” He saidBeyanga also said the walk was not only about exercise but also about sending a message that life should be valued on the road.
The road safety walk followed a route from Sheraton Hotel through Kampala Road, Entebbe Road, Queensway, Ndeeba, Mengo, Bakuli, and back to the city centre using Kampala’s non-motorized transport corridor. Cyclists under Fun Cycling Uganda also joined the campaign to advocate for safer roads and improved infrastructure for non-motorized transport users. The chairperson of Fun Cycling Uganda, Godfrey Ssali, commonly known as Ras B, said cyclists and pedestrians remain highly exposed to accidents because many motorists do not respect them on the roads.
“We are vulnerable because we are always on the road; safety must be our priority.” He said.Sali encouraged cyclists and pedestrians to use protective gear and remain alert while using roads. He advised road users to avoid blocking their ears with headphones because it limits awareness of approaching danger.
He also called on property owners and businesses to create parking spaces for bicycles, saying cycling is part of smart urban mobility.“If we want a smart city, then cycling must be respected, bicycles are clean, healthy, and produce no emissions,” Sali remarked. URN