As Uganda continues to grapple with an alarming surge in road traffic accidents, the Ministry of Works and Transport is calling for stronger partnerships and greater public awareness to reverse the trend.
Judith Karara, a Senior Road Safety Officer at the Ministry, says the fight against road carnage cannot be won by the government alone.
“We need as many partners as we can,” she emphasised. “When people like Joe Walker and others come on board to amplify the road safety message, it’s a win for us. The public tends to listen more when the message comes from people they relate to — not just government officials.”
Karara noted that the ministry plays a coordinating and support role, working with stakeholders to raise awareness and ensure that the conversation around road safety remains active.
“When the message comes from everyday people, supported by the media, it becomes more powerful. That’s something we appreciate and long for,” she said.
However, she also pointed to gaps in data collection — a crucial tool in tracking and addressing the crisis.
“At the moment, the Ministry of Works and Transport does not directly collect road crash data. That’s the responsibility of the Uganda Police Traffic and Road Safety Directorate, which gathers data from across the country,” Karara explained.
“We rely on that information for planning and policy, while hospitals like Mulago generate their own records that eventually feed into police reports.”
On the question of Uganda’s deteriorating road conditions, Karara acknowledged the challenges of funding and maintenance, but urged the public to take personal responsibility on the road.
“Yes, we agree that some of our roads are narrow and not in the best condition, but Uganda is not the only country with narrow roads. The key question is — how do we use them?” she said.
According to Karara, road user behaviour remains a major factor behind the increasing number of crashes. “Some roads have been widened, yet the number of accidents has gone up. This tells us the problem is not just the road, but the attitude of the users,” she noted.
She explained that the ministry continues to prioritise road maintenance within the limits of available funding.
“We are doing what we can and working hard to improve our roads. We take responsibility for those that are not in good condition, but we also call upon people to use the roads we have safely,” she added.
Karara warned that recklessness and speeding, especially on poorly maintained roads, are a deadly mix. “When the road is not good and you add high speeds and carelessness, you will kill more people,” she cautioned.