Ugandan lawmakers have issued a warning over the country’s surging road fatalities, triggered by a devastating multi-vehicle collision last week on the Kampala–Gulu highway that killed 46 people.
In a heated plenary session on Tuesday, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa directed the Ministry of Works and Transport and the Uganda Police Traffic Department to intensify enforcement of road safety protocols, stressing that complacency is no longer tenable amid mounting highway deaths.
“We have discussed road safety for far too long,” Tayebwa told the House. “We must refocus efforts, particularly on the Ministry of Transport and Uganda Police Traffic, to guarantee safety on our roads. We cannot keep losing lives at this rate.”
Tayebwa lambasted the “arrogant” behavior of Sino-truck drivers, accusing them of endangering lives with impunity. He shared a personal near-miss: “Just last week, a Sino-truck driver nearly crushed me. Despite my convoy’s right of way, he barreled straight ahead and struck the vehicle behind mine. When confronted, he fled. These drivers act as if the road belongs solely to them.”
John Faith Magola, MP for Bungokho North, attributed rising crashes to crumbling highways. “Potholes between Mukono and Jinja have evolved from potholes to drum-sized craters, now ponds,” he said. “The roads are a disaster. I implore the Ministry of Works to intervene immediately.”
Joy Peggy Waako, the representative for older persons, pinpointed driver fatigue in long-haul buses. “Operators race at breakneck speeds for extra allowances, completing routes like Kampala to Kanungu and back without sleep,” she said. “Government must mandate at least two drivers per bus on long routes or enforce compulsory rest stops.”
Kimaanya–Kabonera MP Abed Bwanika proposed a penalty-point system for driving permits to track and suspend habitual offenders. “Police lack a mechanism to link offenses to permits, allowing dangerous drivers to persist,” he noted.
Rwankwene Bataringaya of Kashari North demanded wider roads and refreshed markings. “Our highways are narrower than those in neighboring countries, with faded or invisible lines causing confusion and collisions,” he said, questioning the Ministry of Transport’s use of maintenance funds.
Busiki County MP Paul Akamba has urged the Ministry of Works and the Police to take action against vehicle owners who illegally install flashing lights on their cars, saying the modifications have become a major cause of night-time road accidents and violate traffic regulations.
The debate was sparked by the October 21 pile-up near Kiryandongo, where two buses overtaking simultaneously collided head-on, per police reports. “We urge motorists to exercise extreme caution and avoid reckless overtaking,” the Uganda Police Force stated.
The Uganda Red Cross called it one of the deadliest incidents in years. Spokesperson Irene Nakasiita described rescue scenes as “gruesome,” with victims “bleeding profusely with shattered limbs.”
Police statistics reveal a grim trend: 5,144 road deaths in 2024, up from 4,806 in 2023 and 4,534 in 2022.
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