Kampala Roads: Everyone Acts Like a VIP in Traffic Chaos

Driving in Kampala feels like starring in a daily reality show, where traffic rules are mere suggestions amid the city’s notorious jams. An average Ugandan loses at least 52 working days annually stuck in congestion, as seen on busy routes like Jinja Road.

Drivers showcase ‘hidden talents’ by weaving through lanes like footballers dodging cones, skipping indicators and mirrors. Others declare themselves VIPs, confidently speeding against one-way traffic at 80 km/h, glaring at those following the rules.

Ambulances demand right of way for emergencies, but in Kampala, they’re trailed by opportunistic cars treating the siren as a free pass, causing gridlock and delaying the very lives they’re meant to save. Even private vehicles now blare illegal sirens, from tinted cars to traders rushing to Kiseka market.

Public transport adds to the woes, with taxis featuring tricky doors, worn seats, and rare cleanliness. While infrastructure lags and urban planning evolves, undisciplined drivers—mere ‘rotten tomatoes’—spark widespread delays, often speeding off self-satisfied.

Solutions start with personal responsibility: plan trips, dodge peak hours, use apps like Google Maps. Authorities should deploy more traffic officers, enforce fines impartially, and regulate bodabodas. Kampala needs humility, not superheroes—everyone shares the road urgency.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)