Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) has taken a significant step toward reducing motorcycle-related fatalities and injuries by training and donating safety gear to over 150 Boda Boda operators in Luzira, Kampala.
The initiative, carried out as part of UBL’s Safety Awareness Week, offered comprehensive road safety training and equipped riders with essential protective gear to improve their visibility and safety during daily operations.
The training comes at a crucial time, as motorcycle accidents continue to pose the greatest threat to road safety in Uganda.
According to the Uganda Police Force Annual Crime Report 2024, motorcyclists remain the most vulnerable road users, with 1,720 fatalities—a 13.2% increase from 2023.
Including motorcycle passengers, total motorcycle-related deaths rose to 2,396, representing nearly 47% of all road traffic deaths in the country.
Overall, 5,144 people died in road crashes in 2024, marking a 7% rise from 2023, with total casualties reaching 25,808. The report identifies careless overtaking and speeding as the leading causes of road crashes, accounting for 44.5% of incidents.
Economically, the impact remains devastating, with the United Nations Road Safety Performance Review estimating the annual cost of road crashes at shs4.4 trillion (USD 1.2 billion), equivalent to 5% of Uganda’s GDP.
During the event, Boda Boda operators received intensive training on road safety measures and a refresher on traffic rules and regulations. T
he sessions covered defensive riding techniques, proper use of safety gear, traffic sign recognition, safe overtaking procedures, speed management and adherence to traffic laws.
After the training, each rider received a helmet and a high-visibility reflector jacket—equipment proven to significantly reduce fatality rates in motorcycle accidents.
Anthony Alozie, the Supply Chain Director at UBL, emphasized that the road safety campaign aligns with UBL’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) agenda toward a sustainable and inclusive world by 2030.
“We consider health and safety as a fundamental human right. This initiative falls under our ‘Doing Business the Right Way from Grain to Glass’ pillar. I am glad that participants have taken part in comprehensive training on road safety measures and had a refresher course on traffic rules, which we believe will greatly improve safety on our roads. By equipping riders with knowledge and protective equipment, we aim to contribute to reversing the troubling upward trend in motorcycle fatalities,” Alozie stated.
He also highlighted the robust safety culture within UBL that has earned the brewery multiple recognitions in the manufacturing sector.
“Uganda Breweries has fostered a strong safety culture internally, through consistent effort and engagement from leadership down to employees. We ensure mandatory wearing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at work, our employees undergo regular world-class safety and health training, we are consistently upgrading and servicing our machinery to ensure safety and we have a dedicated team that enforces safety protocols. We also have strict regulations around drinking alcohol, including breathalyzer testing, to prevent alcohol from impacting workplace safety—even as an alcohol company. As a result, we have had 14 and 17 years of ‘no lost time’ at our brewery and spirits plant (IDU), respectively,” Alozie noted.
AIGP Lawrence Niwabiine, Director of Traffic and Road Safety in the Uganda Police Force, commended UBL for its intervention.
“We appreciate Uganda Breweries Limited for this timely intervention. Boda Boda operators are critical stakeholders in road safety, and such partnerships between the private sector and law enforcement are essential in our fight against road carnage. We call upon other corporate organizations to emulate this example and join us in creating safer roads for all Ugandans.”
Hakim Wanswadhee, a Boda Boda cyclist from Luzira stage, expressed gratitude for the training and support.
“I am grateful that I was part of today’s training and that I have received protective gear, which will go a long way in protecting me while I do my day-to-day job as I look for money to provide for my family,"he said.
"We see our colleagues dying on the roads every week, and this training has opened our eyes to many risks we didn’t realize we were taking. I encourage my fellow riders who have been in this training to take their lives more seriously because road safety is for our own benefit, our passengers’ safety, and our families’ future.”
The Boda Boda road safety initiative is part of UBL’s broader commitment to promoting a culture of safety among its employees and the wider community, whether on site, at home, or on the road.
The training follows the recognition of Boda Boda riders as a mobility enabler in Uganda during the SO UG SO 60 anniversary campaign for Uganda Waragi—a celebration of uniquely Ugandan experiences.
With motorcyclists and their passengers now making up nearly half of all road deaths in Uganda, interventions like UBL’s training and equipment donation remain crucial. They have the potential to save hundreds of lives annually while supporting the livelihoods of Boda Boda operators who form the backbone of Uganda’s informal transport system.