news 11 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Uganda Urgently Needs National Dialogue on Escalating Road Accidents
Uganda has recorded at least 36 road crash deaths nationwide in the past two months, amid rising fatalities reaching 5,383 in 2025. Recent incidents highlight ongoing issues like vehicle defects and driver fatigue, prompting calls for a nationwide conversation to address this crisis. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/oped/editorial/we-need-a-national-conversation-on-the-state-of-road-accidents-5420428
Recent road tragedies in Uganda underscore a deepening crisis. A Makerere University first-year medical student, Michael Musisi, was fatally struck by a motorcycle in Kampala. On the same day, a speeding Isuzu Elf truck with brake failure collided with two taxis in Mabira Forest, killing two and injuring seven along the Kampala-Jinja Highway.
A fuel tanker also veered off the road near Karuma Bridge and plunged into the River Nile while heading from Kampala to Gulu, likely due to driver fatigue or loss of control. Eyewitnesses and police point to dangerous vehicle conditions and fatigue as recurring causes, contributing to Uganda’s high global road accident rates per the World Health Organisation.
Over the last two months, at least 36 lives have been lost in crashes countrywide. Traffic Police spokesperson SP Michael Kananura noted a shift, with passengers now the most affected group. The 2025 police Annual Crime Report revealed 5,383 road deaths, averaging 15 daily.
Government measures like speed limits, vehicle inspections, and highway checkpoints exist, yet crashes, fatalities, and injuries continue rising over the past two years. Despite a dedicated traffic police unit, the situation demands urgent action. A national conversation is essential to devise lasting solutions to this daily killer.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)