The Amputee Self-Help Network Uganda (ASNU), an organization supporting individuals who have suffered physical disabilities from road accidents, has appealed to government and road users to prioritize road safety and improve survivor support systems.
The call follows a tragic accident in Kiryandongo, where initial reports indicated 63 fatalities, later revised to 40.
ASNU highlighted the challenges accident survivors face, including prohibitively expensive prosthetics and medical equipment, long-term unemployment, and social exclusion.
The organisation urged authorities to establish rescue and emergency points to save lives in future incidents.
Speeding, poor road infrastructure, and systemic enforcement failures were cited as key causes of road accidents.
The group proposed solutions including stricter driver discipline, intelligent automated enforcement systems, and safer road design.
Current statistics underscore the severity of Uganda’s road safety crisis. On average, 14 people die daily on Ugandan roads, equivalent to the loss of a fully loaded taxi every day.
The annual road death toll has risen from 4,159 in 2022 to 5,144 in 2024, reflecting an 80.2% increase since 2014.
Motorcycle-related incidents alone account for 1.2 million cases annually. Uganda ranks among the top six countries worldwide for road deaths per capita.
Charlotte Kangume, ASNU co-founder and accident survivor, stressed the societal costs of road accidents.
“We understand the devastating toll road accidents take on hospitals, families, and entire communities. That’s why we’re calling on everyone – from government to individual road users – to prioritize safety and take immediate action,” she said.
ASNU also urged the government to reinstate the Express Penalty System (EPS), recently suspended, citing its effectiveness in reducing accidents.
Kangume noted that automated enforcement could have prevented many of the Kiryandongo deaths.
Joseph Asaba, another accident survivor, called for widespread education and technology-driven enforcement.
“As a survivor, I know the pain and struggle that comes with road accidents. Implementing smart enforcement can help create a safer environment for all road users. We need to reduce accidents, save lives, and rebuild futures,” he said.
ASNU’s recommendations include investing in emergency response stations, reinstating EPS, subsidizing prosthetics, and enforcing stricter, tech-enabled traffic discipline.
The network emphasizes that collective action is essential to prevent further tragedies and protect vulnerable road users.