Uganda’s road safety challenge continues to sharpen, with the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety recording 3,691 arrests and citations of motorists and riders across the country during a week-long enforcement exercise conducted between June 14 and June 20, 2026.
The latest figures, released during a press briefing on June 22, 2026, by SP Kananura Michael, the PRO of the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, reflect what authorities describe as persistent risky road use behaviour.
Speeding, reckless overtaking and failure to comply with traffic regulations were highlighted as the leading contributors to crashes nationwide.
Data from the directorate shows that motorcycles, commonly known as boda-bodas, continue to bear the heaviest burden of road traffic fatalities at 50 percent, followed by pedestrians at 32 percent, while other road user categories account for 18 percent.
Officials say this distribution underscores the vulnerability of two key groups that dominate Uganda’s urban and rural transport systems.
The enforcement period also coincided with a series of fatal crashes that have drawn renewed attention to road discipline.
On June 17 in Bukomansimbi District, Reverend Father Bony Kalyesubula of Kitaasa Catholic Parish died after his vehicle collided with a Fuso truck that is reported to have lost control due to a mechanical defect.
On the same day in Kyotera District, seven people lost their lives when a speeding fuel tanker rammed into a commuter taxi.
In Kalaki District, two roadside vendors were killed at Adonkweru after a speeding vehicle attempting to overtake hit a stationary vehicle.
Authorities say such incidents continue to reinforce the need for sustained enforcement alongside public sensitisation campaigns.
During the week under review, 518 riders were penalised for riding without valid licences, while 118 drivers were found operating vehicles without licences.
In addition, 198 boda-boda riders were cited for carrying passengers in violation of regulations, and 296 motorists were penalised for disobeying traffic directions.
While enforcement operations continue nationwide, the directorate has also expanded road safety awareness campaigns, particularly targeting the Kampala Metropolitan South and Masaka East regions.
These areas were identified among the most affected by road traffic crashes in the 2025 Annual Crime Report, prompting renewed focus on behaviour change as a long-term intervention.
